Who we are

Voter to Voter is a project of the MainStream Education Foundation (MEF), the non-partisan, 501(c)(3) arm of the MainStream Coalition. The goal of MEF is to educate and engage individuals, officials, and candidates on the ramifications of current and proposed legislation, the connection between community engagement and positive societal outcomes, and the importance of voting to that process.

What we do

In the summer of 2016, MEF launched its Be A Voter initiative, with the aim to create a culture of voting in northeast Kansas. We hired dozens of interns who spent their time canvassing, calling, tabling and engaging voters on the importance of voting. But after that election cycle, we began rethinking our traditional voter contact methods. We know persuasion is more effective when you are approached by people you know. What if we empowered a vast network of volunteers willing to talk to their own friends about voting? What if they knew which of their colleagues, classmates or cousins didn’t normally vote, and targeted their efforts there?

Relational organizing isn’t a new concept. What is new is taking a relational model to scale to impact voter turnout, and then equipping advocates with powerful, public voter data. So with that goal in mind, MEF rolled out the Voter to Voter project in 2018. We developed a new, online tool that allows our volunteer “ambassadors” to see the voting history of their friends, track the conversations they have with them about the election, and ultimately know if they were successful in persuading them to cast a ballot.

In the August primary election, the voters we talked to as a part of this project turned out to vote at a 60%, compared to 27% statewide. After that election we started hearing that voters would likely turn out at record rates in November, and they did. In Kansas, 58% of registered voters cast a ballot, which is as high as we’ve ever seen in a midterm. But voters connected to Voter to Voter turned out at an impressive 82%! Even more exciting is that 75% of our "unlikely" voters cast a ballot. Statewide, that group turned out at just 33%. We are continuing to build out our voter network and intend to replicate these results in 2019 and 2020!

Where you fit in: Voter to Voter Engagement Organizer

In 2017 only 24% of registered Wyandotte County voters turned out for municipal elections. 2019 will be another municipal election year, and this gives us an opportunity to create real change by driving up voter turnout.

The Voter Engagement Coordinator will work to identify organizations and community groups in Wyandotte County that might participate in the Voter to Voter project. He or she will train our partners to use the online tool, and work with groups to help identify ambassadors to participate in the project. This person will work with existing Voter to Voter staff, helping to tailor messages, content, tactics, and strategies for increase voter turnout in Wyandotte County.

Voter to Voter staff have no direct contact with voters, instead they work through organizations and ambassadors, offering assistance and encouragement to make sure voters are being guided toward casting their ballot. Just as the relationships between ambassadors and voters underpin the success of Voter to Voter, the relationship between our staff and partners is just as critical. The right candidate for this position will have exceptional motivational and relationship building skills.

This is a great opportunity for the right individual passionate about empowering communities to make a difference in their neighborhoods. Voter to Voter goes beyond registration drives and canvassing. The person in this role will have freedom to innovate, within the guidelines of the program, to foster a culture of voting in communities that have been marginalized in the political process.

This is a part-time position that we are hiring for immediately and will last through November 2019. The bulk of the project will be completed by November 5th, but the final Voter engagement results will not be analyzed until the voter data has been certified, usually right after the first of the year.

The primary focus of this position is community organizing via relational advocacy.

Your duties will include:

• Developing and implementing strategies to expand our current network of partners and engage new and diverse constituencies
• Traveling to meet with potential partners around Wyandotte County and guiding them through the election process
• Recruiting and supporting team leaders and volunteer ambassadors, and providing general administrative and technical support
• Planning events to mobilize volunteers and celebrate successes
• Connecting with community leaders, advocates, officials, businesses and grassroots organizations

Successful candidates will have:

• A passion for driving up voter turnout among in communities that are traditionally underrepresented in the political process
• Understanding and commitment to the mission of the MainStream Education Foundation
• Knowledge of Wyandotte County, understanding of the legislative process and citizen engagement
• Ability to engage politically in a nonpartisan framework
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and relationship management skills
• Strong written and oral communications skills
• Solid organization skills and an ability to meet deadlines while paying attention to details
• Know how to work within a team environment, be highly motivated and able to work independently with limited day-to-day supervision
• Willingness to learn and a commitment to data-driven results
• Ability to work some nights and weekends, and willingness to travel
• Grassroots organizing or political campaign experience - preferred, but not required
• Fluency in Spanish - preferred but not required
• Your own vehicle – mileage out of the area will be reimbursed
• A passion for elections and democracy

Compensation

$15/hour at approximately 20 hours/week.
This is a part time position, with funding through November 2019

Application Process

Submit a letter of interest, resume, three professional references and a writing sample.
Attn. Lindsay Behgam, Voter Engagement Director
[email protected]

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MainStream Coalition is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, and any other protected class.