Progressive Momentum Builds

We are often too busy strategizing for the next fight to celebrate our victories. But last week Western States Center brought together 12 groups from our VOTE Project and two dozen local activists and donors to celebrate the labor that Oregon groups put in to help pass progressive tax reform Ballot Measures 66 and 67. 

The Oregon Student Association registered 14,271 students to vote in this rare January special election and then launched an intensive voter education and get-out-the-vote operation. They reached 24,000 students through class raps and other in-person voter contacts, and made an additional 24,000 phone calls. Rather than telling students how to vote, they presented students with the information they needed to make their own decisions. 

The Rural Organizing Project was able to organize small business owners in 16 counties to act as public spokespeople in favor of the ballot measures. They also knocked on 1,520 doors in rural areas and made get-out-the-vote phone calls to all 36 counties in Oregon. Reaching every county was crucial, since the spending cuts that would have followed if the tax

measures failed would have devastated every corner of the state.

The potential cuts would also have affected every segment of society. Aubrey Harrison, Field Manager at Basic Rights Oregon, said “When I started at BRO three years ago we started mobilizing folks for not explicitly LGBTQ work and the questions we often got was, ‘why? Why would we bother? We have way more than enough on our plates.’ But it shifted this last election. The question was not ‘Why?’ but ‘How many people can I bring?’ We saw this huge surge in support. Our success is in large part due to the long standing relationship with the Center.”

Members of Partnership for Safety and Justice were similarly motivated. More than 30 members volunteered to make calls and knock on doors. One volunteer in Eugene knocked on 300 doors by herself and earned the title “Super Volunteer.”

It’s that kind of dedication that helped us win. These organizations successfully recruited, activated, and inspired throngs of volunteers and members, not only to support the Yes on 66/67 campaign, but also to build a stronger base for future campaigns.

VOTE convening February 2010