Partnerships and Outreach

The UUA Advocacy and Witness staff strongly believes that voter activities should be done in partnership with community groups, with the knowledge that relationships formed during this work often last beyond it. We recommend that congregations explore opportunities for partnership early on in the process—before making big plans. Community based organizations know the ropes, know their communities, and need allies. Working with these organizations provides a way for those of us with more power and privilege to form needed alliances across race and class.

Brainstorm what groups you might partner with. What existing relationships or memberships does the congregation have in interfaith or secular groups? What groups do members of your congregation work for or with that would make good partners? What groups work with communities with traditionally low voter turnout, such as young adults, people of color, and people with low incomes? Often partner churches in low-income areas, immigrant communities and/or communities of color have connections that can provide further suggestions for partnerships and projects. Check out the Faithful Democracy website faith groups active in your area and National Voice for community groups.

UUA President the Rev. William Sinkford has also been in communication with national organizations, such as the Interfaith Alliance , the League of Women Voters , the Earth Day Network , the NAACP , and the Campaign for Communities about UU congregations working with their organizations on voter participation. Check in the phonebook for local contact information, or see their websites.

Targeted Outreach:

The UUA believes that the disenfranchisement of individuals and communities is not only bad for our country, it is also bad for the spirits of those who are left behind. By forming community partnerships with those who have been historically disenfranchised, congregations can carry out voter projects with a strong commitment to anti-oppression. Go to National Voice website and click “Voter Projects” to find organizations in your state that are working with these targeted communities. Note that targeting these groups for voter turnout is not a partisan activity and is therefore perfectly legal under congregations’ 501(c)3 status. Here are a few voter projects from national organizations that are doing work all over the country:

BGLT: GLAAD's 2004 Campaign Coverage Human Rights Campaign National Gay and Lesbian Task Force National Youth Advocacy Coalition	People with Disabilities: Alliance for Retired Americans National Coalition of Students with Disabilities American Association of People with Disabilities
Low-Income People: Project Vote Community Voting Project National Coalition for the Homeless	Women: Women’s Voices, Women Vote Women’s Action for New Direction (WAND) V-Day: V is for Vote
People of Color: National Coalition on Black Civic Participation Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote 2004 Southwest Voter Registration and Education Project	Youth/Young Adults/Students: Freedom’s Answer Campaign for Young Voters Youth Vote Coalition Young Adult and Campus Resource

More Grassroots Community Organizations:

Many cities and towns have Neighbor to Neighbor organizations, Citizens Alliances, or “City Vote” organizations (like Boston Vote) that do voter registration, education, and mobilization. These groups often pay particular attention to immigrants and other communities that experience barriers to registering and voting. You can probably find these organizations in the phonebook or through internet searches.

Additionally, close to 100 UU congregations are involved in interfaith community organizations that are part of the national Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF), Gamaliel, Pacific Institute for Community Organizing (PICO), or Direct Action Research and Training (DART) networks. Many of these groups are leading voter participation efforts. Please contact Susan Leslie, sleslie@uua.org , or at (617) 948-4607, to find out about the one nearest you.

For more in-depth information on the theory and theology of partnerships, these books, available from the UUA Bookstore online or by calling 1-800-215-9076:

• Soul Work-Anti-racist Theologies in Dialogue edited by Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley and Nancy Palmer Jones (Skinner House, 2002).
• Bridging the Class Divide by Linda Stout (Beacon Press, 1997).
• Soul of A Citizen by Paul Loeb (St. Martin Press, 1999).

Contact Sarah Craft, UUA Voting Project Coordinator, voting@uua.org , with questions, resources, concerns, news, reports, and ideas about your congregation’s current or potential voting project.

Sign up for the UUA’s Voter-News E-mail List for weekly updates on voter resources and a chance to share your congregation’s activities and successes.

Unitarian Universalist Association
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