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CIVICS
101

After four years of fighting against Donald Trump, now it’s time to fight for the issues that matter most to you. But how do you do that? Here are some resources to help you get started whether it’s holding your elected officials accountable or becoming an elected official yourself.

Calling Your
Representatives

You might be thinking: Really? Does the person answering the phone *actually* pass along my thoughts to the Senator/Representative/Councilmember? Well, probably not word for word--but offices keep track of public support or opposition regarding key issues. If they know that a significant number of their constituents are against a piece of legislation, they’ll feel the pressure to vote against it, and vice versa. Remember, they work for you. Your opinion matters. NextGen has put together a toolkit with some sample scripts and tips for making effective phone calls.

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Attend Events and
Town Halls

Town halls and public events are opportunities to ask your elected officials questions and to hold them accountable for their decisions. Some members have regular, scheduled town halls and others host them sporadically. Follow your elected officials on social media, and check their websites to find out when and where they’re hosting events. Indivisible has a great tool to find events like town hall meetings you can attend (virtually, for now).

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Run for Office

You’re a member of your community. You know the issues that matter to your friends and neighbors. So, why not represent them? Running for office sounds intimidating, but you don’t need to have a fancy degree or years of experience. State legislatures and city councils are where future leaders get their start. President Obama got his start as a state senator. President Biden began his political career on his local county council. Vice President Harris started as a district attorney. Remember: If you don’t run, someone else will. Run for Something has a tool that will help you find a list of state legislative and local offices where you can run based on your current address. Some 2021 filing deadlines are coming up quickly, so if you’ve been thinking about running, don’t miss your chance! 

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