The 50CAN Guide to Political Advocacy

                      This post is a summary of the book with the title above, published in 2019 at https://50can.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2019/10/50CAN_PoliticalGuidebook-Web.pdf

                      Participating in elections is a fundamental activity for individuals united behind a common cause through the steps for effective political engagement. Politics has been a part of human history for thousands of years in some form or another. A democratic society, uses politics to debate with our fellow citizens and come to an agreement about our laws and public institutions. Being an engaged member of a community means you are willing to join in this debate. By getting political, you join a long and noble tradition of those who came before you who helped uplift the human condition. Politics is the prism through which elected officials evaluate public policy suggestion and weigh public support. The purpose of this book is to help individuals organized to succesfully engage in politics. Politics is not an exact science. A good advocate learns to evaluate people and scenarios and adapt based on experience. It is our hope that after reading this guide, you will feel better equipped to move your policy ideas from dream to reality. If you get your impression of politics from Hollywood movies, you might think that political change only happens when people resort to extremes speeches or shady dealings with crooked politicians. In reality, being successful at politics you must not neglect the human element. You must be committed to understanding both the uniqueness and the similarities of the people in your political world. We can all think of ways we wish our society could improve. The polarization and negative tenor of current politics is one thing most people agree needs to be changed. However, politics has been divisive for a long time. As a general rule, if you plan to engage in an election, you should start your planning process at least one year before election day. For many good reasons, organizations often want to take a non-partisan approach to their policy and electoral work. That being said, elections do not happen in a vacuum. There are many external factors out of your control. Most of the political world operates in a "you're with me or against me" mentality. Therefore, it is quite hard to navigate this culture in a non-partisan manner. This is a trick problem, the best advice is to be upfront about your intentions from the beginning. Stay true to your principles, even if you are compelled to operate in a more partisan way. Interviews are important because they give you a chance to ask detailed follow-up questions and gauge the level of knowledge and support the candidates has for your issues. Keep the interviews relatively brief. Remember that most candidates are balancing campaigning with personal and career responsibilities. Their time is limited. In politics, there are turf battles, hidden agendas and lack of coordination. Building coalitions really is one of the most vital parts of being successful. Legislative coalitions can be hard because people are complex. You may be competing for electoral funding with your friends or have a different take on legislative strategies, which is understandable. Here are a few tips for working better with your allies: 1) Build relationships - Spending more social time with your allies can help to soften the hard edges. Personal relationships build trust and can help you better evaluate and understand the motives of other people. 2) Develop patience for different types of people - Make a conscious effort not to let the lack of a personal connection affect the way you view someone professionally. 3) Focus less on who should get the credit - While there is some need to self-promote, your primary goal is getting the job done. Set an example in the coalition by remembering to thank and include everyone. If you work hard and well, you will be recognized for your role. 4) Don't just talk about coordination - Encourage your coalition to have specific objectives and outcomes for meetings. Think critically and be self-aware enough to know when something is not your specialty. 5) Err on the side of over-communication - A phone call once or twice a week to check with allies and keep them apprised of your work will do wonders.           If we've reached our goals with this book, by now you are feeling more prepared to engage in the political process. We aim to be a place where talented people are able to do the best work of their lives in a culture that supports and sustain them. The glue that holds this community together is a team spirit grounded in our commitment to our cause. At 50CAN, we want to learn from and contribute to the work of as many citizen advocates as possible. The cause of our work is education. We support individuals at the local level who advocate for a high-quality education for all kids. What defines us as a community are the values we aim to uphold in our daily work. We believe deeply in our ability to foster real change in our communities. We approach tough challenges with high spirits. We are dogged in pursuit of our mission and our goals, and we don't back down. We are authentic about our challenges, mistakes and triumphs. We are honest with others and with ourselves. We know we don't have all the answers and that we can only succeed by constantly testing our assumptions, working in deep collaboration with others and grounding ourselves in diverse viewpoints.