Illinois Senate-elect Mark Kirk and the Priority of Social Justice

Senate-elect Mark Kirk listed “getting Illinois working again” as a key issue on his campaign website, and now that he’s headed to Congress, people will be looking to him to make good on his campaign promises– they will be looking to him to make the issues they care about top priority.

What issues do you think should be at the top of Kirk’s priority list?

Share your thoughts in a quick survey.

Jewish Groups Plan “Trick or Vote” Outings, Debates, Forums and More to Get Out the Vote

By Katherine Randall
Communications Coordinator, JCUA

Hundreds of Jews from across the country are mobilizing to get out the vote for Nov. 2 as part of Define America 2010, a national civic engagement campaign developed by the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable, a group of 18 major Jewish organizations working to build a robust Jewish social movement.

The crux of the campaign revolves around voter education and registration. Along with the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs (JCUA) in Chicago, Roundtable groups are organizing in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn.

In Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn., Jewish Community Action is hosting phone banks and sending out volunteers to do door-knocking. They’ve also planned a night of flyering on Halloween called “Trick or Vote,” and on Nov. 2, they’ll provide transportation  for people to the polls.

New York-based Jewish Funds for Justice (JFSJ) also has a “Trick or Vote” night planned and is working with community organizations in Brooklyn and Manhattan that promote fair housing and local job creation to get out the vote.

Jews United for Justice in Washington, D.C. is partnering with more than 30 organizations to mobilize African-American and immigrant voters.

In Los Angeles and San Francisco Progressive Jewish Alliance is registering voters, canvassing, writing op-eds on election issues, and co-sponsoring a debate and forum on ballot propositions.

JCUA is partnering with grassroots community organizations to do canvassing in metro Chicago and northern suburban communities, and co-sponsoring a candidates forum featuring 10th Congressional District candidates Dan Seals and Robert Dold, along with candidates for Lake County Board and Sheriff.

Find out more about Define America and upcoming get-out-the-vote volunteer opportunities in Illinois at the Define America 2010 Facebook page.