Turning out
Voters of Color in the Georgia Runoff

When news of a double Georgia Senate runoff broke, countless activists and volunteers showed up for Georgia in a big way, and most efforts were quickly funded and staffed. In an effort to make an impact, Focus Action Network sought out efforts that were underfunded and under-resourced.

Applying our experience with vote tripling and relational organizing, we joined forces with BlockPower to help turn out the 600,000 registered Black Georgians who did not vote in November 2020 (nearly 30% of registered Black voters.)

Focus Action Network helped BlockPower to activate up to 20,000 peer-to-peer contacts to promote voting among low propensity Black voters.

Some of the ways we used relational organizing in Georgia:

  • • Deployed our unique Civic Connector model to identify and contact hundreds of Black-focused organizations across the state, engaging them in sharing BlockPower’s approach.

  • • GOTV phone bank resulting in over 900 conversations with Black voters and helped make plans to vote with over 430 Black voters, many low-propensity voters, on the lead up to Election day.

  • • Guided, staffed and helped implement their marketing plan and a complete website update.

  • • Designed and implemented phone and text outreach to their participants and prospects.

  • • Supported, staffed and distributed This is Why I Vote video spots, including The Talk, designed for Black voters.

  • • Created and delivered training to Voting Ambassadors and supporting organizations.

  • • Facilitated public relations efforts, including an endorsement by Martin Luther King III.

  • • Designed and distributed a voter information email to hundreds of community group leaders, resulting in over 700 click-throughs of how-to-vote information.

  • • Prompted VoteTree’s marketing of BlockPower through their prominent Atlanta art installation.

Video credit Cultural Gorilla