Dear John,

Elections are the beating heart of our democracy, but many education advocates get involved in them only reluctantly or not at all.

At 50CAN and the 50CAN Action Fund, we have found that when we combine election work with traditional types of advocacy—like community organizing, storytelling and lobbying—we are more successful. In fact, the win rate for our policy campaigns jumps from 44 percent to 65 percent when electoral advocacy is included in an advocacy plan. Over the past decade, that 21-point edge has translated into more than 40 additional policy wins that wouldn’t have happened if our local advocates had stayed on the electoral sidelines.

Knowing what the research says can help you make the jump into electoral work with your eyes wide open about how to best use elections to advance your cause. 

In this new AdvocacyLabs report, created in partnership with Georgetown University’s FutureEd, we marshal the best-in-class research to answer the key questions that advocates often ask when considering whether and how to get involved in elections:
 

• Do campaigns matter? Research suggests that electoral work can matter but often fails to have an effect because advocates don’t productively engage in elections. The more personal the tactics, the better.
• What does electoral spending buy? The most reliable thing campaign contributions secure is support for your champions and an opportunity to make your case.
• Should advocates recruit candidates? Yes, but you need to start the recruitment process well in advance of the campaign and make sure to encourage your candidate in addition to keeping them well-informed about the issues at stake.

We hope this latest report helps you do more this election season to build political clout on behalf of the communities, families and students you serve.

Sincerely, 
 

P.S. Don’t forget to follow AdvocacyLabs on Twitter and visit us on the web at AdvocacyLabs.org.