Electoral campaigns are a means to an end.  They can build power – but for whom?  Unless these campaigns are deeply connected to a base of constituencies and grounded in a common set of values and beliefs, they are unlikely to build toward a progressive transformation of U.S. politics.  For the past decade, Western States Center has emphasized the need for community organizations to develop electoral organizing skills in order to build power for marginalized peoples, defend our communities from attack, and achieve a more representative and accountable governance.

Documents for Download:

• Election Protection - (1-866-OUR-VOTE) Election Protection is the nation’s largest non-partisan voter protection coalition.  Election Protection runs a hotline and deploys thousands of volunteers to protect voters’ access to the polls.
• Alliance for Justice - AFJ works to strengthen the capacity of the public interest community to influence public policy.  AFJ’s Nonprofit Advocacy Project provides information and support for 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 organizations who are engaging in advocacy and lobbying.  You can contact a staff attorney through their website or at 1-866-NPLOBBY.
• National Conference of State Legislatures Ballot Initiative Database -
  A searchable database of ballot measures that includes historical information as well as the current electoral cycle.
• Building Grassroots Power - Western States Center's 195-page curriculum, Building Grassroots Power: An Introduction to Electoral Politics, is designed to support the eletoral organizing efforts of groups with 501(C)(3) or 501(C)(4) tax-exempt status.
• Recruiting Candidates - Where do we get the next generation of progressive leaders? Find out in this article by political activist Len Norwitz.
• Voter Contact Plans - Article describes personal voter contact plans, which follow the same basic steps as standard electoral campaigns—with a key difference. Instead of relying on mass media, they start with, and strengthen, personal relationships.

Helpful Web Sites:

• Ballot Access News - Ballot Access News is an online, non-partisan newsletter reporting on restrictive ballot access laws in the United States.
• Ballot Initiative Strategy Center - The mission of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center is to bring together state and national groups committed to strategic grassroots ballot initiative campaigns in order to strengthen progressive politics and policies across the states and build an effective response to the right-wing's damaging initiative strategy.
• BallotWatch - BallotWatch, a project of the Initiative and Referendum Institute at the University of Southern California, follows issues appearing on state ballots and analyzes trends.
• FairVote - FairVote (also known as the Center for Voting and Democracy) seeks elections that promote voter turnout, fair representation, inclusive policy and meaningful choices by building on our nation's history of improving upon the American experiment. As a catalyst for electoral reforms such as instant runoff voting, proportional voting, direct election of the president and automatic voter registration, we conduct research, analysis, education and organizing to ensure all Americans can exercise their right to vote and elect representatives who reflect our racial and political diversity.