It may be an exercise in frustration to determine the impact of our voter services tabling efforts prior to the November 8 General Election.
We sit at our League tables ladened with pamphlets, brochures, VOTE411 pens and buttons, and “How to Vote in WI” materials. We smile and nod to passersby while attempting to engage in a conversation. “Have you checked your voter registration status lately? There is an Election on November 8. Do you have a plan to vote?”
Some nod in acknowledgment, while others deepen their gaze at their phones oblivious to their surroundings. But who knows if they catch a glimpse of the League's branded tablecloth and think, "I better get my voting stuff in order” or “The League is here AGAIN!” or “There must be an important election coming up!”
While we can’t know what a person is thinking, we can quantify other elements of our efforts.
Since the end of September through the first week in November, our League has created and/or participated in 28 events with 65 volunteers (many worked at multiple events) resulting in a grand total of 131 volunteer hours and an epic record of 442 interactions with potential voters and actual registered voters.
We were grateful to secure a coveted table at the UW-Whitewater University Center under the sponsorship of the UWW Aspiring Educators Group with a special thanks to the AE President Liana Opitz. Six engaging AE students sat with us over three weeks at the UC. We exchanged civics lessons with them for a crash course in all things social media. (Can you explain that SnapChat thing one more time? And why would I want to use it?)
We were almost a permanent installation at the Dwight Foster Library in Fort Atkinson, The Irvin L Young Memorial Library in Whitewater, the Whitewater City Market, and The Community Space.
We showed up for special events at the Madison Area Technical College in Fort, a Mini Health Fair at the Arum Public Library in Delavan, a UWW meeting of Latinos Unidos on Campus, and a UWW Engagement Center Lecture Series.
We can say that our impact was augmented by the diligent work of our Social Media Guru Michelle Whisner who posted our activities in real-time.
We are grateful for those many dedicated volunteers who came week after week in rain, wind, and condensation funnels to share their expertise with the general public. We are grateful to those who brought in chocolate candy to use as student bait. And we were touched by the public in general who just stopped by our tables to “thank the League” for being there and for all that we do.
Indeed, we may never know the true impact of our activities. But in our heart of hearts, we KNOW that we were seen, we were heard, we were engaged, and we were and continue to be involved in making democracy work. In other words, we are making a difference in our communities.
Pictured from the top left and moving clockwise: Ellen Penwell at UW-Whitewater University Center, Jean Eichman and Julia Ross at Aram Public Library (Delavan), Eda Wilson and Kathy Brimmer at Irvin L. Young Memorial Library, and Etty Wilberding at The Community Space.
Submitted by Julia Ross, Voter Services Chair
