Challenge:
The successful passage of the Constitutional Amendment to increase the sales tax in a tax-averse climate depended upon raising awareness in precincts with high anticipated drop-off, reminding voters that leaving the Amendment question blank was equivalent to a “no” vote.
Solution:
In less than three weeks, grassroots solutions developed and oversaw the implementation of a paid Election Day Get Out the Vote/visibility program on seven college campuses in the Twin Cities and Northfield. grassroots solutions recruited, hired, and trained 182 students and others to form visibility teams. The visibility teams worked two seven-hour shifts (morning and afternoon) and were staged out of eight different locations, covering thirteen targeted, high drop-off precincts where voters were most likely not to vote down the ballot. The teams established a Vote YES presence near polling locations, holding signs and reminding voters not to forget to vote on the Amendment question. Staying the requisite 100 feet from the polling location, the teams also distributed Vote YES literature and messages to individuals on their way in to vote.
Results:
- The Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment passed with 56% of the vote.
- In the thirteen targeted campus precincts, an average of 84% of the votes cast on the Amendment question were “yes” votes, which far exceeded the statewide average.