By
Lindsay Baringer
, Director at
Impactual LLC
It’s that time of year again! Primaries are underway, and you’re probably already inundated with text messages, emails, and more from political candidates to contribute to their campaign. It may seem a little desperate - comedians even are now joking about how extreme the appeals are getting. But don’t let that fool you: donating to candidates is important, regardless of how much you give. Let us break down why:
- Contributing directly to a candidate is not unlike casting a ballot: it sends a clear message to a candidate (and their opponents) that you want to see this person in an elected position;
- It gives you some skin in the game. Giving your own hard-earned money to a campaign is literally you getting invested in the outcome. You’re more likely to show up to vote, promote the election to others, and pay attention to the outcome -- not just of the election, but also of what this representative does in their new role;
- Your donation allows candidates to travel around their district meeting with voters and learning more about the issues from the constituents they want to represent;
- Giving money to campaigns also allows candidates to communicate with voters through advertisements (TV, radio, mail, social media, etc.) about what they stand for and want to accomplish -- and it helps candidates reach voters asking them to show up to vote.
- Your donation could also pay to support various volunteer activities, like door knocking and phone banking, to reach the most likely voters for any candidate to get out the vote and to persuade other voters to show up.
Contributing to candidates ensures you have a seat at the table for when people make important decisions about your future. If you’re interested in political giving, we recommend that you start with
BallotReady
- www.ballotready.org - and use their online tools to get unbiased, comprehensive research on candidates so you can determine who is worthy of your investment.
