9 Ways You Can Use the Midterm Elections to Build Local Power

It鈥檚 no secret that many voters are ticked off with the Democratic Party. By more than 2 to 1, Americans believe the party is out of touch with the concerns of most people, according to a . Think superdelegates; DNC leaders who sided with Hillary Clinton at the expense of the Bernie Sanders campaign; compromises with the corporate elite; and behaviors that seem to disparage black folks, young people, and so-called deplorables.

Nonetheless, that the Democratic base is on fire, mobilizing, voting, and winning.

The stakes couldn鈥檛 be higher. Climate crisis, money in politics, DACA, white supremacy, the future of the internet, gun safety, health care, public lands, regulation of the banking industry, civil liberties, and so much more are all being contested. With the entire House of Representatives, a third of the Senate, and many governors and state legislators up for election, much will be determined in the midterms. So, in spite of disquiet with party leadership, many are already working hard for Democratic candidates.

And some are doing this work in a way that builds independent power鈥攑ower that can also be used to hold elected officials accountable, work for the long-term well-being of their communities, and take stands on issues the major parties鈥� elites may or may not support.

These folks are using the excitement and widespread engagement that comes with a high-stakes election to build local organizations that are independent of the party organizations. This strategy offers the possibility for remaking the Democratic Party (in ways that roughly parallel what the Tea Party did to the Republican Party) starting from the bottom up. But even more importantly, it offers the possibility of building a power base that can help remake the country.

I spoke to two luminaries in the world of organizing to learn how to make this strategy work: One is Heather Booth, who is the founder of iconic organizing school Midwest Academy; an activist for tax justice, marriage equality, women鈥檚 rights and civil rights; and (full disclosure) a member of the advisory board of , an organization I founded. The other is Dan Cantor, national director of the Working Families Party, which works in 17 states on electing progressive leaders and building grassroots power.

Here鈥檚 what I learned from them that resonates with my own experience as a local activist.

First, build your local organization.

Join and support an existing group that fits with your values, if one exists, or start a new one. Consider affiliating with a national organization such as Indivisible, Working Families Party, or Our Revolution.

As you knock on doors, attend rallies, and in other ways support your favorite candidate, also build your own group鈥檚 power by expanding your email list, network, volunteer base, and skills.

Second, build relationships.

Reach out to people you know, and also ask who else has shared interests and, especially, who is left out? In an era when racial and class inequality is , it鈥檚 important that movements put economically disenfranchised groups at the center of their organizing strategies. Organizers should learn about the issues that are important to other segments of their community and meet leaders in local politics, civic organizations, and businesses.

Third, share power and build cohesion.

Create inclusive processes for decision making. Get good at navigating conflict. 鈥淥ne of the most important things is that the group itself stays together,鈥� Booth said. 鈥淚n my experience, we can deal with many kinds of attacks and strains if we stay together, but when we fracture, everything is more difficult.鈥�

Fourth, make no small plans.

Set goals that are inspiring but achievable. 鈥淵ou attract many more people if you鈥檝e got a credible plan that people believe is a winnable plan. Design that from the start,鈥� Booth said.

Fifth, build public awareness and name recognition.

鈥淵ou want voters to trust that you have their interests at heart and to remember the name of your group,鈥� Cantor told me. 鈥淚f you do that, candidates come flocking for your support because they realize that you are a shorthand way to signal to voters who to vote for.鈥�

Sixth, create your own agenda.

What values and issues are most important to you and to others in the diverse communities that make up your town or city? Work together to set your agenda. Then question candidates about which of your priorities they will support.

鈥淓very good idea鈥攁bolition, women’s suffrage, anti-child labor laws, unemployment, Social Security鈥攊nitially came from people who were seen as on the fringe,鈥� Cantor said. 鈥淭hey organized 鈥� and slowly but surely these ideas capture people’s imagination and eventually migrate into the major parties.鈥�

Today, that might include federally funded health care, which . But the Democratic Party establishment has for years refused to consider this option. If that鈥檚 important to your group, ask candidates if they will cosponsor a 鈥淢edicare for All鈥� bill in Congress. If not, consider running another candidate against them in the primary.

Seventh, recognize that this is a long-term process.

鈥淚t has taken us a long time to get as weak as we are. Corporations have been in the saddle and riding mankind for decades,鈥� Cantor points out.

By building local organization, the impact of our work is cumulative鈥攅ach time we mobilize around a candidate or issue, we can increase long-term local power.

Eighth, start local, but then connect with other groups and other communities.

Together, locally based groups can galvanize enough power to counter the influence of big corporations and outside money.

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 take you long to get to the point where you鈥檙e screening local candidates for Congress,鈥� Cantor said. This doesn鈥檛 mean you will always win鈥攂ut you will prevail much more often, and if you pick your fights, those can be important wins.

Ninth, once your candidates are elected, hold them accountable.

Meet with your elected officials regularly, Cantor recommends. 鈥淒on鈥檛 wait to see how he or she turns out.鈥�

Elected officials hear from lobbyists all the time, he pointed out. They need to hear from you, too.

And if someone really abandons his or her commitments, challenge them in the primary. 鈥淵ou only have to do that every now and then for that to send a message,鈥� Cantor said.

It would be easy to get swept up in the immediate demands of a high-stakes election. If we want fresh ideas and new initiatives, though鈥攊f we want to lift up the voices of those left out, and to put the interests of ordinary people, instead of corporations, front and center鈥攚e鈥檒l need our own organizations. We can build long-term power in our communities and also help elect our favorite candidates if we work strategically, inclusively鈥攁nd independently.

Sarah van Gelder is a co-founder and columnist at 精东影业, founder of PeoplesHub, and author of The Revolution Where You Live: Stories from a 12,000-Mile Journey Through a New America.

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