MoveOn is partnering with Run for Something, an organization that supports people running for elected office, from town council to mayor to registrar of voters to state representative and more.

Interested in running for office? Sign up now with Run for Something to get resources and support.

Dear MoveOn member,

You can run for elected office. 

You may second-guess yourself and say, am I ready to be a public figure? Can I grow a base of supporters? 

The answer is YES, and I know this because I ran for city council in Minneapolis in 2017 with Run for Something's help. 

MoveOn is partnering with Run for Something, an organization that supports people running for elected office, from town council to mayor to registrar of voters to state representative and more. Sign up here to learn more about how to run for office.

After the 2016 election, I wanted to have an impact in my community. We knew that big challenges were coming, and Minneapolis could become a true sanctuary—by providing a living wage, combatting climate change, investing in affordable housing, welcoming people with dignity and respect, changing our policing systems, and so much more. 

So I met with a few friends to map out a strategy, I created an issue platform to highlight the solutions that I could help deliver for the city, and I thought long and hard about the commitment it would take to see this race through. 

Then I chose hope. I chose to believe that together, we can make a difference. I chose to advocate for those in my community who looked like me and never saw themselves reflected in the leadership of our diverse neighborhood. I chose to try, to have an impact on what issues were debated in the race, rather than sit out. But I had never run for office before, and I didn't know where to start.

That's where Run for Something came in. Their trained coaches helped guide me, from declaring my candidacy through get-out-the-vote resources to mobilize voters on Election Day. Knowing I had a support system of other first-time candidates, including many fellow women of color, connected through the Run for Something endorsement process helped sustain me through the hard times on the campaign trail. 

And especially right now while Republicans seek to chip away at the right to vote, your community needs you to protect and expand the power of the people by running for local office—a critical way to protect our elections until we build the political power to pass federal protections. In every state, there are positions, from town clerk to county supervisor, who help administer our elections. This is our chance as progressives to be the next line of defense for democracy. You could help ensure decisions about who gets on the ballot, which ballots are counted, and where polling places are located are made centering equity, opening access to our democracy to all. 

With primaries just months away in some states, now is the time to consider if 2022 is the year you take the next step and run for local office. Sign up here to learn more from Run for Something about the process, resources, and to get support to make a difference in your community.

Note: Run for Something provides everyone the opportunity to receive useful guidance on how to run, opportunities to learn from experienced coaches, and referrals to organizations that endorse candidates. For candidates under 40 years old, they also have an endorsement process and campaign support for after you declare. No matter your age, you can join a training and tap into online guides to best practices by signing up here. If you're under 40, a demographic that often experiences significant barriers to running, you can apply to become an official Run for Something candidate, and that will open even more resources and support.

We know the stakes: Our democracy depends on everyone's having the freedom to use their voice and choose our elected officials. If all Republican senators, outdated Senate rules, and a pair of Democratic holdouts stand in the way of federal protections—and if state-level Republicans across the country are passing laws to make it harder to vote—that's all the more reason for local action NOW. Whether through Run for Something or in partnership with other organizations, this could be your time to step up as a candidate who can protect elections and the freedom to vote on the level closest to home.

So now we have to move to phase 2 of protecting the right to vote: ensuring that state and local officials in charge of elections, from secretaries of state to town clerks, are people who will act in good faith, prioritizing engaging all communities in voting, protecting the freedom to vote, and combating any efforts of right-wing extremists to overturn the will of the people. 

Run for Something has helped to elect 637 candidates to offices ranging from state legislator to county clerk and everything in between. The candidates come from all walks of life and represent communities that have been historically excluded or discouraged from running for office.

We've seen the impact elected officials can have on voting rights, including Senators Manchin and Sinema, who failed to provide for their constituents; Secretary of State Hobbes in Arizona, who didn't let a fraudulent recount overturn the election results;¹ and the election administrator in your town who determined what resources every polling place needed to count ballots. 

Consider joining the ranks of the thousands of people across the country to ensure we have free and fair elections now, with months left to campaign before Election Day. Sign up with Run for Something to get resources and advice about running for local office.

While Run for Something supports all interested candidates, they focus especially on younger candidates because historically they have received little support when attempting to run for office, due in large part to the very popular “wait your turn” rhetoric that can serve to discourage people with good ideas and leadership abilities from running. There’s also an issue of underrepresentation of elected officials under 40 and "undervoting" in elections that motivated Run for Something's decision.

We have no time to wallow in despair. Crucial elections will happen this year across the country, and if we don't participate and protect the process, we're sure to lose. 

I didn't win my city council race in 2017, but that wasn't my only goal. Through the campaign, I created a vehicle for action for those who were scared, angry, frustrated, and motivated by the 2016 presidential election. I also drove a conversation in Ward 11 about what we want for ourselves and our city. It also led me to a new career in political activism and eventually to MoveOn, where I serve as your Director of Mobile Innovation. 

Right now, you have the opportunity to lead in your community to protect elections, serve voters, and strengthen our democracy. Sign up with Run for Something now to hear more about running for local office—regardless of your past experience and with no commitment required just to learn more.

Thanks for all you do.

–Erica, Emma, Kathy, Anne, and the rest of the team

Source:

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