Make Children and Families a Top Priority During Election Campaign Season
During election season, candidates do a lot of talking. They talk about their priorities and the kinds of legislation they intend to champion. They tend to tailor their message to the audience they are addressing at the moment. And who is this audience they are talking to? Sometimes, the audience is YOU. Your job is to make sure that candidates are talking about the issues that matter most to you—issues that impact the lives of kids and families in Wisconsin—and to make your voting decisions on the basis of where the candidates stand on these issues.
Unfortunately, candidates usually talk VERY LITTLE about children’s issues.(See, for example, this analysis from Voices for America’s Children of the recent Republican presidential debates.) After all, kids don’t vote or make campaign contributions. That’s why it’s imperative that those of us who care deeply about these issues do our best to make them an important part of electoral campaign debate and discussion.
“Elect Candidates for Kids,” WCCF’s 4-page electoral advocacy handout
Who Voted for Kids? Find out how your state legislators voted on bills affecting children and families.
Suggested Questions to Ask Candidates
WCCF’s Legislative Advocacy Guide
WCCF’s Agenda for Children and Families in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. The Government Accountability Board has answers to all your questions about how to register, where to vote, when to vote absentee, and much more. It is the agency that makes sure candidates, campaign donors, and lobbyists play by the rules. This site contains a wealth of information about how elections are supposed to work in Wisconsin. It’s also the place to go if you are interested in running for office or want to know who the candidates are in your area for each election.
WCCF supports voter participation!
Click here or on the badge to the left for information about voting in Wisconsin and the upcoming election; state-specific registration deadlines and requirements, early voting options, and more.
“Is It Working for Kids,” WCCF’s partial list of recent policy changes affecting children and families.
Watch our video, “Is it Working for Kids?”
Other Resources:
WisconsinEye’s Campaign 2012 Voter Guide is a comprehensive source of interviews and information on candidates in the August 14th primary election and November 6th general election.
wisconsinvote.org (a project of WI Public Radio and WI Public Television)
This excellent site provides access to a variety of news reports, blogs, debate info, broadcasts, and other election-related resources. Highly recommended!
Wispolitics.com Election Blog. This blog, updates several times a day, covers elections on several fronts, including poll data, fundraising figures, and campaign information.
League of Women Voters of Wisconsin. The League of Women Voters has long been a key source of information about voter registration, candidates, and elections.
Wisconsin Democracy Campaign (includes searchable database of campaign finance activity) The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign is the single most important source of information on campaign finance and election transparency. If you want to know who is bankrolling a candidate, this is the place to go.
Nonprofit VOTE. This is a website dedicated to engaging America’s nonprofits in voting and elections.
