The Civic Engagement group meets regularly to bring timely justice actions to each Sunday worship service. We pick important issues for letters, postcards, petitions, and phone calls. In addition, we network with other justice and faith groups in Phoenix and beyond.
Recent Civic Actions
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Down-Ballot Voting / Effectiveness of Letter-Writing
- Mail-in ballots will be mailed next week. It’s extremely important to research and vote the entire ballot. Two “down-ballot” positions are especially crucial:
- Secretary of State: Sign up for AZ Sec of State forum webinar October 12 at 6:00pm: Register
- Maricopa County Attorney: Watch a candidate forum on YouTube.
- Midterm elections are all about turnout. Letter-writing has been proven to be an effective way to encourage voters to participate in our democracy. Write between 5 and 20 (or more) voter turnout letters now to send to voters on October 29. Here’s how.
- Mail-in ballots will be mailed next week. It’s extremely important to research and vote the entire ballot. Two “down-ballot” positions are especially crucial:
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Poll Watching, Observing, Monitoring, and Working
Election Day is just a little more than a month away, and now is the time to sign up if you are interested in participating in your local elections by helping voters on Election Day, before, or after. There are 3 ways to help voters at the polls or during Early Voting.
Poll Watcher: Poll Watching is a partisan activity. In general, a poll watcher’s primary purpose is to ensure that their party has a fair chance of winning an election. In AZ, Poll Watchers are stationed inside the polling place. Poll watchers closely monitor election administration and may keep track of voter turnout for their parties. They are not supposed to interfere in the electoral process apart from reporting issues to polling place authorities and party officials. For information on how to become a Poll Watcher, contact your party of choice.
Poll Monitor or Observer: Poll Monitors are non-partisan volunteers. Poll Observers monitor how an election is administered and report issues so that they can be handled in a timely manner, and generally work 4 hour shifts on Election Day or during Early Voting. For example, if a disabled voter requests that a ballot be brought to their car, but a poll worker refuses or forgets, you would be able to report that issue so that it is handled and the voter can participate in curbside voting. Poll Observers are stationed outside the 75 ft perimeter line of the Voting Center or Polling Station. You can get training and sign up for poll monitoring shifts through Mission for Arizona and other non-partisan organizations.
Poll Worker: Counties rely on poll workers to work on Election Day, throughout the early voting period, and in some cases, after election day. This is a paid position. Poll workers who work on Election Day must remain at their assigned station from poll opening to closing. No matter the role, poll workers are vital to the success of elections in AZ. Visit the AZ Secretary of State website to apply to be a Poll Worker in Maricopa county.
Progress!
We had 19 friends and members at the Postcard and Letter Writing party last Sunday. Together, we wrote 440 letters and postcards to help get out the vote for marginalized communities in swing states! Thanks to all who attended or took letters and cards home with them. We still have letters, postcards, and stamps. Stop by the Good Trouble table at the back of the Sanctuary, before or after Sunday Service, or contact us at goodtrouble@phoenixuu.org for alternate options for participating.
All activities aimed at getting out the vote for the November 2022 election can be reported to goodtrouble@phoenixuu.org or you may report directly on the UU the Vote AZ Report Form.
In case you missed it, please take a minute to read our September 2022 Good Trouble Newsletter.
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Support Asylum-Seekers / Check Voting Registration Status
- Every month, the International Rescue Committee’s Welcome Center for asylum-seekers publishes a list of most-needed donations. Take a look at the items they need. You might want to order from their Amazon wish list or donate money directly to the Center.
- Due to recent legislation that allows the purging of voter lists, if you have not voted in the last year, you may want to check your voting status to make sure you are still registered for the November election.
Older notifications are viewable in our Civic Engagement archives.
Interested in Joining Us?
This document provides information about our mission and activities, how often we meet, and what we expect of our members: Civic Engagement Team. For further information, please email civicengagement@phoenixuu.org.
UU Justice Arizona (UUJAZ)
In addition to weekly Civic Engagement actions, members of UUCP may participate with UU Justice Arizona (UUJAZ), a network of eleven AZ UU congregations. UUJAZ coordinates and promotes statewide justice efforts among UUs, including our annual UU Day at the Legislature. See the UUJAZ web page for more information, or visit their Facebook page.