Step With Me: Public Policy

By Patricia DeWitt, Florida State Director for Public Policy

In a one member one vote canvass over the summer, Florida AAUW members voted to accept the national AAUW Public Policy Program as the public policy program for the state. I urge all AAUW members to read and reflect on this and download the brochure at http://www.aauw.org/resource/principles-and-priorities/.  Several of its principles are currently being challenged to a degree we haven’t seen in thirty years. “Advocacy” is the first term in our list of ways in which we promote equity for women and girls. This means having the courage to speak out for our Public Policy outside of our own groups of “like-minded women”.

The goals of our Impact Grant include Get Out the Vote and advocating for pay equity. Three branches who had indicated support when we were applying for the Impact Grant will be receiving funds for their projects in support of these goals. We will also be holding our annual Lobby Days in Tallahassee and possibly a special rally—look for more information soon.

Get Out the Vote, or GOTV, is the most pressing goal right now with national, state, and local elections coming soon. Lake/Sumter, Vero Beach, Winter Park, University of South Florida, and Flagler County have held GOTV events, and it’s not too late to hold a tabling event at a local college, a farmer’s market (the weather is getting nicer!), or even a mall. Put out a table and hand out AAUW materials such as the AAUW Action Fund Voter Issue Guide at http://www.aauw.org/resource/aauw-voter-issue-guide/, or the Florida-specific guide on the Senate election which you can find at http://bit.ly/2d48qal. This activity does not constitute endorsing a particular candidate, since it is focused on AAUW’s priority issues.

It’s not too late to get people to register to vote. Florida’s deadline is October 11, 2016. One can fill in an application online at http://bit.ly/1MWxvtO and mail it to the County Supervisor of Elections or take it to one of several locations including a public library. There are many ways to vote including early voting at a polling place and voting by mail. Check the website above.

Finally, all members and branches are urged to use their social media contacts to spread the word that people need to get out and vote, and ask them to consider AAUW issues when voting. I will be sending out suggestions on the AAUW Action Network. Please do try to make sure all your members are subscribed!