For Community Members
Help collect candidate pledges in support of our traditional Indiana public schools!
As part of our #VotePublicEd campaign, we are asking candidates and elected officials at the state level to pledge support for Indiana’s traditional public schools. The ICPE Public Education Pledge Program is a volunteer-led effort to get candidates and elected officials in Indiana’s general assembly to pledge on the record that they will use their office to advance legislation and policies that support Indiana traditional public schools.
This is important – candidates who sign the pledge today could soon be elected officials who vote or enact policies in support of our public schools.
Volunteer Instructions & Tips
We are collecting pledges from incumbent office holders, as well as new candidates, at the state level. That’s where impactful education policy is made. Since this is a candidate activity, please contact candidates using their campaign email, phone, or website. Avoid using government contact info for incumbent candidates. If you’re requesting an in-person meeting please pick a location outside of government offices, such as a local coffee shop or similar.
Step 1: Check the Candidate Pledge Database to find out if your candidates and elected officials have already signed the pledge.
- If your candidates HAVE signed, send them a quick note of thanks.
- If your candidates HAVE NOT signed, proceed to step 2 and get them to sign!
Step 2: Contact your candidates and urge them to take the pledge.
- Find your current elected officials who may be running for re-election here: https://iga.in.gov/information/find-legislators
- Find all candidates seeking office, many for the first time, here: https://ballotpedia.org/Indiana
- Visit the candidate’s website to find their contact information. Be sure to contact candidates who are incumbents using their campaign contact info, not their government contact info.
- Send your candidates an email asking them to sign the pledge. You can use this email template. Feel free to personalize it!
If you are asking the candidate to sign in person or are mailing the pledge, here is a PDF you can print out. Once signed, email a photo or digital copy to info@indianacoalitionforpubliced.org.
Step 3: Follow up
- Follow up is key. A week after initial outreach, if they haven’t yet signed, follow up by phone. Candidates are often short on time.
- Ask for a 15-to 30-minute meeting, which is more likely to be accepted than longer meetings.
Step 4: Thank your candidates for signing the pledge!
- Write your candidate a thank you note for taking the pledge.
- Thank them publicly on your social media accounts – make sure to tag both the candidate and ICPE!
Other helpful tips:
If you are connected with an organization that is holding an event or debate with candidates, try to get the following question asked at the event: “Do you think that all schools that take public tax dollars should have to abide by the same laws for transparency and accountability?” You can coordinate with the organizers ahead of time, or plan to ask the question yourself.
Looking for Candidate-specific information?
This page is for Indiana Coalition for Public Education volunteers wanting to help encourage their candidates to sign the pledge. Candidates looking to sign the ICPE candidate pledge should visit this page.
Not a member? Donate and join today!
Questions? Contact us at info@indianacoalitionforpubliced.org