Wellstone Action!

posted by Ellie McDonnell

OCTOBER 28, 2008

Ever since I started interning at Wellstone Action, I have heard the genial, relaxed voice of someone making call after call in the cubicle across from mine. "Who is this guy, and what is he working on?" I thought to myself on more than one occasion.

It turns out that "this guy" is Martin Wera, the director of a new coalition of over 30 non-profits that is changing the face of non-partisan GOTV in Minnesota.  I had a chance to ask him about the project, and this is what he told me:

The coalition, called the Minnesota Civic Engagement Table, coordinates the efforts of many non-profits around a massive database of registered voters and eligible but unregistered voters.  This allows them to use a big-picture view of what needs to be done and where to divide the work most efficiently among the organizations.  The combination of very good information and solid inter-organizational cooperation has produced astounding results: in its first year, MNCET has registered a whopping  62,000 new voters.

While Minnesota already has a proud tradition of non-partisan GOTV through such organizations as the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits' Minnesota Participation Project, MNCET is unprecedented in its scope and level of cooperation between the partner organizations.  Wera describes the central voter file as "amazing" in its ability to identify so many registered and unregistered voters on an individual basis.  Perhaps equally amazing is the way that he and MNCET have been able to coordinate the activities of 30 nonprofits statewide so effectively around a pile of information.

Why is non-partisan GOTV so important?  Wera explained to me that unlike political campaigns, which roll into town, try to get as many supporters as possible to the polls, and then leave, the MNCET non-profits have a long-term relationship with the communities they serve.  They see GOTV as just the first step in increasing civic participation among underrepresented groups in the community.   After the election, they will follow up, recruiting new voters for further civic activism.  This community and voter-focused approach to GOTV can be more effective, as it comes from trusted local organizations and does not discriminate by political preference.  It makes the people themselves the focus.

Among the 30 partner organizations that make up MCET, there are 12 that are coordinating their GOTV efforts through the table, including:

• All Parks Alliance for Change (APAC)
• Community Action Partnership of Ramsey and Washington Counties (CAPRW)

• Duluth Votes Coalition  (duluthvotes@gmail.com)
• Every Child Matters
• Pillsbury United Communities

These organizations are non-profits with demonstrated commitments to their communities and empowering people to participate in civic life.  And they've really outdone themselves this time.  Way to go, guys!

The Minnesota Civic Engagement Table needs your help with their unprecedented Get Out the Vote Effort!  Volunteers are needed across the Twin Cities and in Duluth.  Check out the list of opportunities and sign up today!