# Common Vote Manifesto

Democracy been hijacked. The Republican Party has made strategic efforts to undermine universal suffrage, from gerrymandering to voter surpression. They've employed tactics from harassment to outright lies. Today, many of us progressives are in disbelief that such a thing could happen. Common Vote believes that together, we have the voice and the vote to resist the conservative agenda and make progressive gains. [describe specific policy outcomes](/6GNeYY8URD2-6KdOx_HXMg) We believe that informing the voter is crucial to protecting the vote. Voting must be protected, affirmed, and expanded. [support: automatic voter registration, same-day registration, vote by mail with free postage, funding for more polling locations, paper ballots; oppose: voter ID, purges, felon disenfranchisement](/f0q9QX1CRSavbuq0t-uHjw)

## Race to Win

It's not enough to focus on the highest-profile races every four years. Change is possible at any level of government in any election season. By holding our representatives accountable throughout the year and across the nation we build a voice in politics. Common Vote is for people who are tired of being told that their vote doesn't matter. It's not just about big ticket races but organizing an engaged and informed voter in every Democrat leaning district. If you've ever felt like your representatives don't speak for you, now is the time to build a real challenge.

## Civics for Everyone

Republican talking points have plunged us back into a dark age of American civic participation in which only wealthy, white male citizens are legitimate stakeholders. Media bias and rhetoric about "bipartisanship" has only further entrenched civic discourse in the conservative agenda. The truth is by living in a nation-state and in a globa economy, everything is political. No amount of non-participation will stop elected representatives from passing laws. From taking health insurance away from the poor, to reversing consumer bans on weapons of war, Republicans are always hard at work shaping the country after their values. Though the average citizen may not care about politics, politics certainly cares about them. Local chapters of Common Vote lower barriers to participation with our media programs. A quick SMS blast, a bulk mailer drop off at your local post office, a monthly political potluck, bringing together community is how progressive politics is organized.

## Strength in Numbers

Faced with the scale of the assaults on democracy, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and helpless. Remember that the individual is a basic unit of a community, but the community is the basic unit of political action. There are at least a dozen people who you engage with locally, and they in turn know another dozen. And when you start adding up the numbers of registered Democrats and left-leaning indepedendants, progressives can quickly turn the tide in districts normally considered Republican strongholds. We believe a 5% difference in voter turnout is enough to win back our Democracy.

## Diversity of Tactics

The highjacking of American elections has left us all shell-shocked. But the warning signs have been there for decades. We were just too comfortable to listen. Now there isn't a week that goes by without the threat of another endless war or a rollback of our civic rights. The Trump administration and Republican Senate have locked in a conservative-eaning federal judiciary for a generation. [potential policy outcome: shift the courts to the left](/l6R_cSonR1OXL1teENQR2w) Confronting this crisis will require more than politics as usual. It will ask more of us than non-partisanship. With the rise of neo-conservatism, shadow money and the alt-right, the potental for centrist unityhas long passed. A blue wave of resistance saw remarkable success in 2018. The increasingly diverse electorate has proven that local organizing can win out over the status quo of despair and resignation. We resolve to mobilize grassroots activists whenever a legislative act threatens the voting franchise. Whether it's a voter ID requirement, purges of the voter rolls, or inaccessibly located polling locations,, local chapters will hold representatives accountable for any violation of the public trust, and elect fellow activists committed to democratic ideals. Change happens by confronting representatives on specifics [which this is lacking so far](/udCvWfiyTJy1e_Lj0mjGSg), a vote for no impeachment witnesses or another against Obamacare. We will gather comprehensive data to document their history of working against their constituents so it isn't lost in the 24hr news cycle.

## Lifelong Engagement

Democracy is a life skill. The challenge of celebrity politics is they don't transfer past a term or two. A realistic alternative is to both expand the electorate and support lifelong votering habits. This ensures a growing civic stance and a consistent progressive message independant of which official is elected. It doesn't matter if your district is red leaning purple or solidly blue, in this new political arena, progressive gains are in constant threat of erosion. The issues facing us, climate change, health care, fair wages, transportation infrastructure, affordable housing, all require sustained petitioning to be realized.

# Platform

## Brand

Common Vote mobilizes 18-45 year old surge voters to unseat congressional GOP seats. We base our outreach on recently flipped and flippable seats and support candidates in Democratic leaning districts that need a voter surge to win.

### Our Values

- Who are you? Concerned Americans working to have our votes count towards greater common good.
- What do you do? We educate voters on politicians and what's at stake for our commons in an effort to draw them to the polls.
- What's your vision? Voters make informed decisions and demands with respect to our elected representatives.
- What wave are you riding? We're riding a wave of negative partisanship, demographic shifts and democratic socialism.
- Who shares your brands cape? DSA, Swing Left,
- What makes you only? The only PAC that informs the common vote on congressional seats—for 40 and under Independents and Democrats—in purple states—who want accessible endorsements—in an era of hype cycles and fake news.
- Add or Subtract? Nothing but congressional pressure in democratic leaning districts.
- Who loves you: Younger local progressives who want a trusted political agent.
- Who’s the enemy? Conservative misinformation PACs.
- What do they call you? Common Vote
- How do you explain yourself? A common good worth voting for.

## Aims

How is it that so many Americans are disenfranchised from politics in the richest democracy in the world?

Common Vote is mobilizing civic participation towards an engaged commons. We are growing awareness, sparking debate, and persuading voters to elect progressives in targeteted races in 2020.

### Unity

The problems of inequality and injustice are felt widely across the country. Republican rhetoric has pitted us against each other yet there is a surprising consensus on most major issues the country faces.

### Progress

Wages have stagnated, lifespans are shortening and public infrastructure threatens to collapse while the wealthy get more tax breaks. We know the answers to what plagues us and we desperately need to reform our systems.

### Engagement

Across various counties and districts, conservative lawmakers are attempting to stop the vote and confuse the public. We let voters know exactly who and what they’re voting for and against.

## Policy Scorecard

We've drafted a simple scorecard to evaluate candidates and nudge them towards progressive policies. We use these policy guidelines to coordinate efforts towards greater common good. Each item is either given a 0 against, a 1 for undecided or a 2 in support for a total score of 50.

### Public Healthcare
- Universal coverage
- Wealth tax to cover costs
- Bans on environmental toxins
- Early childhood investments
- Reproductive rights

### Good Jobs
- Increases to minimum wage
- Regulations on gig work
- Low wage employer fees
- Worker immigration reform
- Union support

### Climate Challenge
- End fossil fuel subsidies
- Alternative transportation planning
- Invest in green energy sources
- Low emissions timeline
- Green jobs investment

### Civic Justice
- Sentencing reform
- Police accountability
- Common sense gun laws
- Affordable housing
- Drug additiction treatments

### Political Reform
- Remove dark money from politics
- End gerrymandered districts
- Same day, early and mail-in voting reforms
- Restore felon voting rights
- Separation of church and state

# Strategy

Common Vote is a network of people who want to stop the Trump and GOP agenda. It only takes 5-10 members in a congressional district to effectively organize, fund and distribute campaign materials to potential surge voters. You really only need to volunteer a few hours towards a few things:

- Review literature against local candidates
- Identify key precincts and zipcodes in your district
- Mass mail and dropoff literature

## Messaging

By going beyond the headlines, Common Vote tries to engage issues of real concern. Each mailer is targeted to histories and challenges facing a district, endorsing candidates that have demonstrated a commitment to progressive policy making. Each district page acts as a hub for news and opinions specific to constituents and organizes in that locale.

## Targeting

Using voter data from the 2018 blue wave along with predictions for the upcoming elections which indicate a stronger urban turnout. Common Vote is initially targeting local efforts in 10 congressional races across AZ, CO, NM and NV with a goal of engaging 300k households and 1M voters online.

## Mailers

The core campaign is organized bulk mailers targeted at Democratic leaning precincts. While mailboxes will be flooded with endorsements, Common Vote positions itself as a progressive voter education mailer. Types of mailer content include scored voter guides, voting resources and recent news. Every $10k helps Common Vote engage 30k homes in a congressional district, which is enough of a nudge to tip toss up races.

# Conclusion

This manifesto is the start of building a locally accessible movement. It is a hope for a future that may or may not come true but is worth mobilizing for. There are no quick answers or easy solutions and we recognize that Common Vote is not alone in its efforts. But this is a first step towards a deeper committment to inclusive and just politics that our times desperately need. We're in this together and our voices together will win.