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How voting by mail could save the US election

Madeline Marshall

May 01, 2020 |

Vox |

Video |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Washington

As one of the most consequential presidential elections in the United States approaches in the midst of a pandemic, many Americans are worried about voter turnout, and other logistical concerns. But a simple answer exists: voting by mail. With tens of millions of people in the United States already routinely voting by mail, proponents tout the additional time for research voters can take and the potential for higher voter turnout as added benefits.

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Is Macron's Grand Débat a Democratic Dawn for France?

Renaud Thillaye

April 26, 2020 |

Carnegie Europe |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: France

The Grand Débat, or Great Debate, provided channels for the public to voice their opinions regarding public policy and decision-making. It resulted in almost 2 million online suggestions, 10,000 local meetings, 16,000 complaint books, and several citizen assemblies. It was a success in terms of citizen engagement, but the process was criticized for not capturing diverse viewpoints (drawing mainly from university-educated homeowners over the age of 50) and sacrificing quality for quantity. It is unclear what reforms will come of it and some believe there were hidden political agendas behind initiating it.

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How a Group of Political Novices Ended Gerrymandering in Michigan

Tom Perkins

April 24, 2020 |

Reasons to be Cheerful |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Michigan

Voters Not Politicians (VPN) is a grassroots initiative that, with the help over 4,000 volunteers who knocked on 125,000 doors and canvassed at public events, collected the 400,000 signatures needed to get an anti-gerrymandering initiative on the statewide ballot. The initiative passed with 61% of the vote in 2018 and requires district boundaries be drawn by average citizens. The group’s founder also started The People, another group to help residents in other states apply VPNs model to stop gerrymandering. So far, residents in Florida, Virginia, and New Hampshire are at various stages of applying the model.

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No reason to stop organizing

Angela K. Evans

April 09, 2020 |

Boulder Weekly |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Boulder, Colorado

For many activists, gathering in mass protest is their most powerful tool in their toolbox, but social distancing threatens this ability. But activists in Boulder County, Colorado are not letting the pandemic stop their mission. To stay compliant with social distancing, they are taking to Zoom to organize during the crisis.

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1.2 million subscribers: How Reddit's coronavirus community became a destination

Olivia Solon April Glaser

March 18, 2020 |

NBC News |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

A group of researchers of infectious diseases, virologists, computer scientists, doctors, and nurses have taken to moderating a community coronavirus message board on Reddit to help spread awareness and decrease information around the pandemic. From fact-checking to alerting of breaking news, these volunteers are helping to more efficiently get valid information to those in the online community, while incentivizing the sharing of valuable information via the platform's system of upvotes.

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Bridging the red and blue divide one conversation at a time

Karen Peterson

March 17, 2020 |

Valley Journal |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Montana

Many groups have formed to reduce political polarization by applying active listening and respectful communication skills. Mission Valley Rises is a small community led group in Montana that hosts events where Republicans and Democrats come together and outline community issues and brainstorm effective responses. Better Angels is a national group that holds citizen-led workshops where, using marriage counseling techniques, people are taught, not to change their own beliefs, but how to respectfully disagree so they can work together to effectively solve common problems.

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Advocates, teachers aim to help growing number of young Texas voters wield their power

Vicky Camarillo

March 11, 2020 |

Corpus Christi Caller Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Texas

Organizations and educators in Texas work to increase voter engagement among young people. Schools must provide voter registrations, but many don't, so some teachers register students and teach the importance of civic participation. Several groups also work to get high school and college-age voters to the polls. MOVE Texas and Texas Rising registered thousands of young voters on National Voter Registration Day in 2019. Utilizing technology, going to where young people are, and teaching media literacy increased civic engagement among young people in 2018, although the turnout was still relatively low at 25%.

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Harnessing the power of Latino voters could reshape politics in Texas

Vicky Camarillo

March 02, 2020 |

Corpus Christi Caller Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Texas

Texas voter registration initiatives are aimed at Latino voters, where less than 41% of eligible Latinos voted in 2016. Voto Latino focuses on college campuses, registering 15% of all new Texas voters in 2018. Southwest Voter Registration Education Project visits Latino-majority schools, including reaching out to 500 high schools across Texas. Jolt Action registers voters, held the first Latino-focused political candidate forum in Texas attended by 870 people, and runs Poder Quince where girls can have a free photo booth at their quinceañera if paired with a voter registration table and pledge to vote at 18.

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To Sway Swing Voters, Try Empathy

Michael Massing

February 04, 2020 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Deep canvassing goes beyond talking points, encouraging empathetic dialogue. The New York-based organization, Changing the Conversation Together, trains volunteers in the practice of deep canvassing. Instead of just focusing on a candidate’s talking points in an effort to mobilize potential voters, deep canvassing promotes conversation, listening, and empathy. Canvassers are taught to relay a personal story, a message of love, as a way to connect with the people they meet.

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Mountain athletes push progress over perfection in climate fight

Jason Blevins

January 31, 2020 |

The Colorado Sun |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Denver, Colorado

Since 2007, Protect Our Winters (POW) has engaged outdoor athletes to advocate for climate change. They believe in “imperfect advocacy,” in which they focus on corporate polluters whose habits can create larger-scale change, rather than putting the impetus for change solely on individuals. In doing so, they have been able to successfully engage athletes in their mission, build a partnership with the Climate Action Corps, a coalition of outdoor outfitters working for change at a corporate-level, and host rallies to sway public officials.

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