FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON – In the final week of the 2016 election campaign, People’s Action is leading a major push to get more voters to the polls in 18 states – including the key battlegrounds of Arizona, Colorado, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
We’re opposing presidential candidate Donald Trump, working to flip GOP control of the U.S. Senate and supporting a people-and-planet-first political agenda.
Between now and Election Day, People’s Action, through our state organizations, will reach out to 50,000 voters in these states. More than 500 volunteers and staff members will talk with voters about critical election issues, including income inequality, building an economy that works for people not just corporations, the perils of climate change, ending systemic racism and fighting for immigrant communities.
This brings the number of voters engaged in conversations by People’s Action organizations in just the past month to nearly a quarter million across many communities: white working-class; African-American, Latino/Latina and other immigrants. Along the way we have registered tens of thousands of new voters.
“The most energizing part of this election has been the the people-led actions, the down ballot candidates, and the real dedication of people working in their communities,” said George Goehl, co-executive director of People’s Action. “This people-led democracy is what will determine the future of our country in the next four years.”
In October, we endorsed the “People’s Action 22,” a slate of federal and state legislative candidates nominated by state organizations that have been working with them. Hundreds of volunteers have been working on these local campaigns, supporting the candidates who support our values. The slate includes candidates like Russ Feingold in Wisconsin – one of the top-tier Senate races that will help determine control of the next U.S. Senate.
In addition to these candidates, People’s Action state organizations are fighting to increase the minimum wage through referendum battles in Arizona, Colorado, Maine and Washington.
“This isn’t a new fight, and we won’t stop working on these issues after the election – just the opposite – we are more focused than ever,” said LeeAnn Hall, co-director of People’s Action. “Our vision for strong families, valued workers and a healthy communities is very clear. We intend to win, there is too much at stake.”
To learn more about People’s Action and what our organizations are doing to educate and mobilize voters, our leaders and national executive directors are available for interviews.
Some of the state organizations that have joined People’s Action in these fights:
Arizona: Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA)
Colorado: Colorado People’s Action
Illinois: The People’s Lobby, Citizen Action of Illinois and Jane Addams Seniors in Action
Maine: Maine People’s Alliance
Maryland: Progressive Maryland
Massachusetts: Neighbor to Neighbor Action
Michigan: Michigan People’s Campaign
Minnesota: TakeAction Minnesota
Nevada: PLAN Action
New Hampshire: New Hampshire Citizens Alliance for Action and Rights & Democracy
New Mexico: SWOP Action
New York: Citizen Action of New York, Community Voices Heard POWER, VOCAL-NY Action
Pennsylvania: Keystone Progress
Vermont: Rights And Democracy
Washington: OneAmerica and Washington CAN!
Wisconsin: Citizen Action of Wisconsin
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People’s Action is a national organization of more than a million people across 30 states working for economic, racial, gender and climate justice – and to ensure everyone a voice in our political system. From family farms to big cities, from coast to coast, we’re fighting for community over greed, justice over racism, and people and planet over big corporations.