Imagine going into your inbox in the morning and finding personal messages from politicians in and around your city. Messages that declare that you are “the one who can help change Chicago’s political machine”.
It’s a magnificent honor to be entrusted with such a task. But you wonder just how you can help, when you need time to work and search for more part time jobs — that cuts out any volunteerism. You also need money, so you can’t just pull together funds to contribute to a political candidate’s efforts — it may cost you your lights or next meal.
How do you pull it all together to help a candidate that has truly reached your heart? Well, one action could be to do what I’ve chosen to do… blog about it. Or, you can run mini-campaigns on your social media pages. Whatever you can, right?
Here’s my problem with me having to figure out a solution. Here I am, a citizen of this city, with no time or money to truly participate in the political process that extends beyond ‘just voting’. Despite this being the norm, political candidates never seem to address this issue. They ask for more and more from voters, without ever taking into consideration the fact that it may not be that we don’t want to participate more — but that we can’t.
My morning missive was from candidate Jacob Meister, candidate for Clerk of the City Court. He’s very concerned about the modernization of the Clerk’s Office and he wan’t to meet me at Halsted’s for a $25 meet and greet. Of course, I was curious enough to click on the link to his website.
Upon following the link, I saw that Meister’s email and page were catered to me, specifically. It asks that I, ‘Click here if you are not Janean Watkins’. ‘Awesome’, I thought. ‘Here’s a candidate that knows I exists’. Of course, that thinking is very naive. But that’s the point. They’re hoping to make voters feel like they aren’t invisible. Help them know that when they rock the vote, it will matter.
But, back to reality. Mr. Meister’s office failed to realize one key fact about this voter. My family’s livelihood is much more important to me than spending $25 that I can barely spare on an LGBT Meet and Greet that this candidate has invited me to. My pursuit of financial freedom by way of my entrepreneurship is a much more valuable task than volunteering my stretched time to help get some stranger elected. My need to receive financial contributions far outweighs my need to give contributions to a political candidate.
That being said, candidates, consider your voters’ needs. Separate your email blasts so that the folks with money get the ones with your hand out, and the other 99% of us get information and resources detailing your intentions as a candidate. Have events in the North Shore, or wherever, with the big wigs who can afford to buy a ticket to dine with you and still contribute a hefty amount to your campaign. Then, come down to a park district or library on the South Side to meet your constituents, on their turf, for free.
In other words, candidates, learn your city. You know, the city you’re running for office in. If you can pull off a campaign that shows you’ve thought of ALL of Chicago’s residents, you might just pull off the win for office.
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