70% of voters believe marijuana should be legal - Quinnipiac University Poll
The House is expected to vote on the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement Act. (MORE ACT). CNN reports:
- Black Americans are disproportionately arrested compared with its marijuana usage.
- 59% of Americans were in favor of expunging the convictions of nonviolent offenders.
- 63% of Republicans under the age of 30 said recreational marijuana use should be legal.
- Republican senators are disproportionately old. A majority (27 of 50) of Republican senators are 65 or older.
This blog explains how the BOWL PAC and other advocacy groups use free innovative apps to mobilize public support to pass the MORE Act.
Use GIFs to reach more people
"GIFs are animations that are changing the way we communicate. People use GIFs to quickly express complex feelings and thoughts in ways that even words and images fall short. There are over 12 billion searches for GIFs everyday across all major social and messaging apps."
INTO ACTION (a project of TaskForce) is a movement of designers, illustrators, animators and artists building cultural momentum around civic engagement and the issues affecting our country and world. They provide a large library of free and unbranded GIFs and memes on a range of progressive causes. Here are some of their GIFs relevant to passing the MORE ACT.
Free apps to mobilize supporters
Google Docs offers a lot for organizers. The service is free and lets you store the information you want to share. You can have several people uploading and editing information which could be text, images or GIFs. BOWL PAC uses this Google Doc to share details on the MORE ACT with supporters. This Google Doc helps supporters with messaging guidance.
QR Code Generator lets you create QR Codes that can be shared on social media, flyers and emails. QR Codes make it easy for supporters to get to your site and or take other actions to get involved.
BigStage Teleprompter
Free teleprompter app with talking points. Many of your supporters may not be comfortable in calling their congressperson or speaking up in a ZOOM townhall. Make it easy for them with a free BigStage Teleprompter app pre-loaded with your recommended talking points. They can adapt the script to their district and use the teleprompter on a phone, tablet or laptop. As the organizer, you can revise the script at any time and that shows up in their teleprompter immediately.
This link packs the PASS THE MORE ACT into a free version of the BigStage Teleprompter app. Learn more about how to use teleprompters for advocacy here. Speak truth to power, but first practice your lines.
Use maps to personalize issues
People are most concerned about how an issue affects them. Make it easy for them to see what happens in their area with maps and the elected official they should contact. The easier you make it, the more likely they will respond to your call to action. This map, for instance shows:
- Number of estimated cannabis consumers in a state
- The revenue potential from cannabis in the state
- The Congressional Rep and Senators representing them and how to contact them
Link to the key facts and a teleprompter with suggested talking points
Make it easy for partners to spread your message with this code for them to embed this map in their web site. < iframe width="300" height="200" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen src="https://arcg.is/reb5H0"></iframe>
This map was created with ArcGIS Online using data provided by New Frontier Data and advice from Dakota Sullivan, a senior cannabis industry advisor. Request pro bono DemLabs help with maps for social justice and voting rights causes here.
TakeAway: Mobilize supporters with innovative tech to bring about change.
Deepak
DemLabs
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