We Can't Parachute Paid Election Workers Into Communities and Expect Good Democracy

By Melanie L. Campbell, AlterNet. Posted November 1, 2008.

All across America, thousands are standing in long lines in what promises to be the largest voter turnout effort in history -- and the most scrutinized. Yet, the recent focus on alleged voter registration fraud misses the point entirely. First, there is no legitimate data to back up these claims. Second, and more importantly, there is a much more serious problem below the surface: a system that depends on financial incentives to ensure that people -- especially those with the lowest amount of power and resources -- register to vote.

Paid registration drives are flawed because they create a kind of "parachute politics" that drop workers into communities to register voters with no real incentives other than getting paid. At times there are workers with few connections to these communities who are not likely to be invested in the outcome. These drives do little to build local leadership and long-term civic engagement. This is not the fault of the workers; it's the fault of those who create the system.

It's an old story that, most of the time, receives little attention. Of course, this year is different.

Now that our communities play an even more pivotal role in this election, voter registration practices in black communities are in the spotlight. Although it is true that this new "scrutiny" is just thinly disguised attempts at voter suppression, we cannot ignore that a system of parachute politics often leaves our communities vulnerable to these allegations in the first place.

Yet, there is another way.

History has taught us that voter registration drives are most effective when they are part of a larger strategy to build the political power of local communities. Moving away from short-term political gain means that organizations that register voters would place more emphasis on year-round volunteer civic engagement and participation, much like the efforts that became the hallmark of the civil rights movement.

In short, it's time to go back to basics, which is exactly what groups like the A. Philip Randolph Institute, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, NAACP, National Urban League and Coalition of Black Trade Unionists and new and innovative state-based groups like the Pushback Network, the People's Agenda and the Community Coalition in Los Angeles have been doing for decades. They are working on nonpartisan, civic engagement and voter participation 24/7, all year round.

These groups are rooted in a civic culture that has long been the tradition in black and low-income communities and other communities of color. They utilize local and state-based coalition models that thrive through volunteerism, resource sharing and civic leadership opportunities for young people, and they are deploying new technologies to maximize the impact of year-round civic participation in ways that help to remove barriers to voting and expand our democracy.

Yes, there is a real need to defend ourselves against unjust accusations and voter suppression disguised as "scrutiny." Yes, we need to address the myriad of barriers to voter engagement in our communities that make voting more like an obstacle course than a right. And yes, we also need to heed this wake-up call to fix a broken system that prizes financial incentives and short-term political gain over the long-term work of building civic infrastructure.

As this amazing election season and our rich civil rights legacy have taught us, there is a better way. We can protect the vote and increase democratic participation from the ground up by putting an end to parachute politics and investing in our civic institutions committed to strengthening and sustaining local leadership.

See more stories tagged with: democracy, elections 2008

Melanie L. Campbell is executive director and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, a 32-year-old national organization working with local and national partners to build black civic infrastructure over the long term.

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