A recent webinar in the Our Homes, Our Votes: 2024 webinar series, “Tenant Organizing and Elections: Getting Out the Renter Vote,” showcased the essential role of tenant leaders in mobilizing their communities for electoral participation. The webinar provided a platform for five resident leaders from the Minneapolis Highrise Representative Council, which represents 42 public housing highrises and over 5,000 residents, to share their insights and strategies on nonpartisan voter registration and get-out-the-vote (GOTV) activities. Courtney Cooperman, project manager of the Our Homes, Our Votes campaign, facilitated the webinar.
Resident leaders Shirley Brown, Gloria Coles, Mattie Henderson, Mary McGovern, and Tamir Mohamud shared various methods they employ to increase electoral turnout. These strategies include voter registration tabling, serving as election judges, and maintaining a record of new residents to ensure continuous voter registration efforts. They stressed the importance of showing skeptical neighbors how voting directly impacts their living conditions and communities, highlighting that low-income housing is often government-funded and significantly influenced by federal and local policies.
Addressing the skepticism surrounding the democratic process, the leaders advised giving tangible examples of how voting can bring about change in their buildings and communities. They stressed that if voting is perceived as unimportant by the residents, resident concerns will also be deemed unimportant by elected officials. They cited the historical significance of the right to vote, noting that many have fought and died for this right, making it a powerful expression of collective power, particularly for low-income tenants. The leaders highlighted the importance of holding officials accountable post-election by attending public meetings and monitoring the actions of elected representatives. They spoke of the importance of reassuring tenants that their votes do count and that voters can use tools such as their respective state’s Secretary of State website to verify that their vote has been counted.
For advocates pursuing voter engagement, the leaders advised maintaining a nonpartisan stance to avoid alienating any community members. They encouraged sharing all available information about voting, providing sample ballots, and demonstrating the importance of the right to vote through personal experiences and historical context. Engaging bilingual communities was noted as particularly vital, as exemplified by Mohamud’s efforts with Somali voters. Visibility and partnerships were identified as key strategies for GOTV efforts in scattered communities. Making oneself highly visible, collaborating with neighborhood associations and social workers, encouraging mail-in ballots, and coordinating rides to the polls were all suggested as effective methods to boost turnout.
The webinar provided practical strategies to support nonpartisan voter engagement efforts and underscored the essential role of resident leaders in the electoral process.
Visit www.ourhomes-ourvotes.org/webinars-2024 to watch the webinar or stay up to date on other Our Homes, Our Votes webinars.