This is work in progress – On January 2nd I un-earthed this work and started updating it – some links are still not correct and I’m working on the “coming soon” portions. If it’s past January 15th 2020 and you find mistakes, or if you have ideas for what else you’d like to see here, please email me at forwardlookout@gmail.com.
This guide was originally written by Forward Lookout’s editor-in-chief Brenda Konkel for Progressive Dane and *may* still be available here. The old Progressive Dane website is about to be phased out, and the transfer to the new site was never completed, so it is being preserved here where it will get more usage. The guide was originally drafted in 2017 and has been updated, sites verified and it was modified/improved during this transfer, but there is more work to be done.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT GUIDE
What is this project: After Trump was elected in 2016, many people were trying to figure out how local government can help fight back against expected issues to be raised by Trump. Since responding to Trump changes on a day-to-day basis, Progressive Dane decided the best way we can help is to help make local government accessible and understandable to people so that when they want to get involved at the local level, they have resources and information available to them.
FAQS
HOW DO I GET INVOLVED IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT?
- INTRODUCTION
- Our local focus.
- So you decided to “get involved”.
- QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT
- WHO ARE MY ELECTED OFFICIALS?
- How can I find out about my elected official voting record?
- HOW CAN I BEST INFLUENCE MY ELECTED OFFICIALS?
- Who else is influencing my elected officials (AND GETTING PAID to do it!)? i.e. Who is allowed to lobby and how can we find out about their activities?
- WHAT ARE OPEN RECORDS LAWS AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?
- HOW DO I FIND OUT WHEN MEETINGS ARE?
- WHAT ARE OPEN MEETINGS LAWS AND WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?
- HOW DO I TRACK ISSUES I’M INTERESTED IN?
- WHAT ETHICS LAWS DO ELECTED OFFICIALS NEED TO FOLLOW?
- HOW DO I JOIN A COMMITTEE?
- HOW DO I RUN FOR OFFICE?
- Coming soon
ISSUES COVERED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Detailed Links Coming Soon . . . for now the info is here.
- Topics of Interest – Local Committees Covering these issues.
- Affordable Housing, Tenants Issues, Fair Housing and Homelessness
- Affordable Wages and Workers Rights
- Dane County Jail, Policing and Criminal Justice Issues
- Development, Planning, Urban Land Use, Zoning
- Education
- Environment and Sustainability
- Equity and Racial Justice, Immigration Issues
- Job Creation, Economic Development and Cooperatives
- Open and Clean Government (Lobbying, Ethics, Clean Campaigns) & Redistricting
- Transportation/Bicycling/Pedestrian Safety/All other modes of transportation
- Coming Soon
- Issues Covered by Local Government
- Budgets
- What do candidates need to know when they get elected?
ELECTIONS
- GENERAL LOCAL ELECTIONS INFORMATION
- WHO IS QUALIFIED TO RUN FOR OFFICE?
- RUNNING FOR OFFICE
- What does it take to be a candidate and run for office?
- How do I get the Progressive Dane Endorsement?
- What does it mean if I’m endorsed?
- VOTING
- How can I find out about the candidates and be an informed voter?
- What do I need to do to be eligible to vote?
- How do I find out where I vote?
- How do I find out what is on my ballot?
- When do I vote?
- CAMPAIGN FINANCE
- How can I find out who is donating to campaigns?
- How are campaigns financed?
- What are the requirements for campaign funding reporting
Do you have additional questions you’d like to see in the FAQs? Please submit your questions to brendakonkel@gmail.com.