Ensuring Voices are Heard and Votes Counted

I enjoyed text-banking Ohio voters about the Citizens Not Politicians amendment through the RAC’s non-partisan Every Voice, Every Vote campaign. I felt that I was doing my part to repair the world while I was empowered by engaging with voters. 

Like many volunteers, I was apprehensive. I was concerned that I would not know enough about the amendment to really inform voters. I conducted research online and saw how this amendment would improve democracy by enabling voters to pick their politicians in fairly-drawn voting districts, but still worried that I might not be able to answer potential voters’ questions. What if someone asked me a very specific question? I could refer to the amendment itself, but I would not want to overwhelm them.  I realized that I shouldn’t worry; I would get helpful training before I began texting voters.

I was also curious whether I’d get pushback from voters or get into problematic conversations. Voters might not appreciate getting more political communication; I can imagine how much they already receive about the presidential, senatorial, and other key races. They also might not like that I, a non-Ohio resident, am trying to affect what happens in their state.

Furthermore, I worried that these potential voters might find out I’m Jewish, since I am participating in an activity spearheaded by a Jewish organization. What if they wanted to talk with me about the Israel-Gaza war instead of the Citizens Not Politicians Amendment? What if they wanted to discuss other elections? How would I handle these situations? 

Although I had concerns, I still wanted to participate and help make a difference in Ohio. I recalled that others have faced uncomfortable and far more dangerous situations when trying to improve the world. I thought of former Congressman John Lewis, whose skull was fractured when he co-led the 1965 voting rights march that prompted the introduction of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the U.S.’s most critical civil rights laws. My relatively minor apprehensions paled in comparison to Lewis’s personal sacrifices. 

When the text-banking began, we started by receiving training, which gave me confidence. When I heard that RAC-OH had already texted 40,594 voters; mailed 9,140 postcards; and the larger Every Voice, Every Vote campaign had contacted 534,799 voters; I knew I was helping a much larger effort. 

In the “Jewish Grounding for Fair Redistricting” portion of the training, I heard that democratic freedoms are crucial to Jews and other groups that face oppression and discrimination. The explanation of how fair districts prevent hyper-partisan candidates and low voter turnout helped me understand key points of the Citizens Not Politicians amendment. I also learned about other Bend the Arc phonebanks that I could volunteer with before Election Day. 

I learned that we would use breakout rooms where people could ask questions, which eased my nerves! One of the trainers shared his screen so that we could see what texting would be like and made me much more comfortable. I also was pleased to learn that RAC-OH had prepared answers to potential voters’ questions. 

I was heartened to see my impact. I helped inform people about the Citizens Not Politicians Amendment and answered their questions, which I hope will help them educate their networks about this amendment. Being part of a larger movement and working to improve the world while having fun makes me want to text-bank again.

I wholeheartedly recommend that everyone participate in an upcoming Every Voice, Every Vote event. Don’t worry that you might not know enough, you will get great training!