AAUW’s Woman-to-Woman Voter Turnout Drive Report on the workshop held by the national Public Policy team the day before AAUW California’s 2012 Convention
On a national level, AAUW is strongly encouraging voter registration drives this year, aimed particularly at millennial generation women (ages 18-30). Women’s issues are “hot” again today. National’s message: it’s extremely important to elect people with a strong commitment to women’s rights, rather than just a passive reaction to attacks.
AAUW's goals:
AAUW’s priorities:
Why the emphasis on millennials? The millennial generation is as large as the baby boom generation and has the potential to have just as great an impact on our society. As a group, millennial women are “confident, self-expressive, liberal, upbeat and open to change.” Many of their priorities align with AAUW’s: They care about access to birth control, fair pay, college affordability and unemployment. If they can be mobilized, National AAUW feels they will be a powerful force in guiding the country in a good direction. Techniques for reaching this important group of women:
National AAUW policy regarding forums on candidates, issues and/or ballot measures
“Bird-dogging” Candidates often try to avoid stating their positions on controversial topics. It’s important to get their position on the record. AAUW recommends that members ask direct questions in a polite and neutral manner wherever there is a question-and-and session. If the candidate sidesteps the question, say: “I don’t think you understood my question. Let me rephrase it.” If the candidate still doesn’t answer the question, then tell the media, “I’m disappointed that XXX didn’t address this issue.”
Voter Guides Voter guides are a very effective tool with younger voters. AAUW will prepare a national voter guide template, where stated positions of candidates can be filled in and shown in comparison to one another. Wording of issues needs to be very neutral, so that it is not 100% clear which position AAUW supports (this is important, to preserve AAUW Action Fund’s 501(c)(4) tax status). Wording of issues not covered in the national template should be submitted to AAUW-CA for feedback, before inclusion in a published voter guide.
Candidates' positions can be researched on their own websites (= best source), through the Congressional voting records (AAUW keeps track, scores), and internet searches. It is very important to document the sources used in determining the positions reported for each candidate.
AAUW is a 501(c)(3) organization which can register voters, hold forums on ballot measures and impartial candidate forums. "AAUW Action Fund" is a 501(c)(4) organization which can create voter guides and hold forums where only one candidate is present, in cooperation with any 501(c)(3) organization.
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