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A short presentation on what we did in a set of Dallas School Board elections, and how we won.
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Why School Boards Matter
Tanya TarrTexas AFT
March 18, 2010
Overview• Elements of a School Board Race• Dallas• Key Takeaways• Discussion
“I'm tired of hearing it said that democracy doesn't work. Of course it doesn't work. We are supposed to work it.”
~Alexander Woollcott
The New Yorker Magazine
in the 1930s
Elements of a Race
Candidate Recruitment
Voter Registration
Create/ Revise Local Field
Plan
EndorseVoter and Member Contact
Get Out The Vote
WIN
Celebrate RecognizeRecover
Activist Recruitment
Fundraising
Training
The Candidate
Was the candidate recruited from our strong
community alliances?
Does the candidate hold up against a rigorous
endorsement review process?
Is this candidate fearless and willing to work harder
than volunteers?
Does the candidate have financial resources?
Will this candidate take direction?
Dallas ISD 2009 Races
Dallas
• Endorsed 3 candidates in the special election• Two seats - Parrott and Nutall - were elected • Even when you don’t win, you win.
Tactics and costsTactic Quantity Cost
List of school board elections voters
Approx. 7,000 records $50
Phone Match 7,000 $250
Labor Action Network Database to manage voter records Free
Hand address letters 3,500 $1,540
Postcards 1,000 $280
Phonebanking Approx 4,000 numbers Volunteer
Volunteer Food 6 dinners $300
Paid Live ID Calls 2,345 numbers $800
Paid Robo Calls 1,500 numbers $75
TOTAL COST $3,295
Why we won• Overlapping groups of voters
– Aggressive voter contact of known school board voters
– Robust voter contact of all ISD employees by our
members (expansion universe)
• Partnering with the candidates
– Phonebanking out of the Alliance-AFT office
– Technical assistance (list management)
– Encouragement and coaching
How elections support Organizing• After filing a grievance, more than 100 teachers
received $222,875 in performance pay
– Parrott was one of three members of the grievance board
• DISD Trustees that had been non-responsive or
hostile changed their attitude towards the local
president.
• The DISD School Board stopped threatening
consultation
WE have the POWER!
Questions? Please feel free to email me: [email protected]