Ballot Box Breakthroughs How The Fairness Project’s Ballot Initiative Strategy Brought Real Economic Progress to 8.1 Million Workers in 2016 PUTTING OUR FAMILIES FIRST There was a point when Tabatha – a single mother in Portland, Maine – kept her McDonald’s uniform on underneath her Dunkin Donuts apron because she was almost always wearing one or the other. She worked 18- to 22-hour days for a little more than $8 an hour. Working two jobs was the only way she and her children could survive. Now, her wages will go up 50% to $12 an hour. PUTTING OUR HEALTH FIRST In Arizona, Desiree struggles to raise three kids as a single mom. Her employer did not offer sick leave so when she got cancer she had to get treatment without taking off work. Once, she was forced to put off a procedure for so long her doctor told her it might no longer be safe. “I was thinking of having the procedure and then signing myself out of the hospital so I could return to work,” Desiree said. Now, for the first time she will have paid sick leave. 22 Ballot Box Breakthroughs How The Fairness Project’s Ballot Initiative Strategy Brought Real Economic Progress to 8.1 Million Workers in 2016 www.thefairnessproject.org 3 PUTTING OUR PEOPLE FIRST Marilyn is a home health care worker in Colorado. Despite 20 years of experience, she earns just $9 an hour, the state’s minimum wage. “I’m one paycheck away from being homeless,” she said. “I literally have to balance every dime to make sure I eat every day.” Now, her wages will go up to $12 an hour. PUTTING OUR WORKERS FIRST Andy runs five restaurants throughout Washington D.C. and has seen firsthand how workers earning low wages impact local businesses. Over the past two decades he has heard the doomsday predictions from businesses afraid of improving their business models. From banning smoking inside restaurants to paid sick leave and now raising wages, Andy has seen how business in our Capital can thrive when workers are supported. 44 Table of Contents Overview . 6 Ballot Initiatives Can Succeed Where Lawmakers Fail . 8 Ballot Initiatives Did Succeed Where Lawmakers Have Failed . .8 Economic Ballot Initiatives are Some of the Best Money Spent in Politics . 10 How The Fairness Project Contributed to National and Local Success . 11 • Early Investments Helped Get Campaigns Up and Running and Attracted Significant Additional Contributions . 12 • Using Data to Reach and Mobilize Key Demographics . 13 • Overall Strategic Advice . 16 • Enhanced Research and Messaging . 16 • Sharing Best Practices and Strategic Advice . 16 • Building Business Support: Fair Pay Today . 17 • Strong Digital Strategy and Support . 18 • Digital Supporter List-Building . 19 Just Getting Started . 19 5 In October 2015, built on the vision and Overview significant financial support of California healthcare union SEIU-UHW, The Fairness In the weeks after the 2016 election, pundits Project launched with a simple but profound and progressives tried to make sense of mission to change policies and solve the an outcome that shocked the world. As it economic problems facing working people became clear Hillary Clinton would actually and their families in spite of the continued win nearly 3 million more votes nationwide failure of most politicians at the federal, than Donald Trump, the perverse nature of state, and local level. our country’s presidential selection process was once again fully revealed. For the No longer willing to wait for elected officials second time in 16 years, the wishes of the to do their jobs, The Fairness Project minority triumphed over the wishes of the backed state- and city-based ballot initiative majority, and a minority-supported president campaigns and raised national awareness of was put into office (Al Gore received more the need to bring economic fairness to tens votes than George W. Bush in 2000). of millions of people. The campaigns achieved this by putting political power directly into But inside this upside-down set of facts, if the hands of voters to enact the economic those who were struggling to analyze the improvements they want and need. In the outcome wanted to find some solid ground 2016 election cycle, those improvements to stand on, where the majority still ruled involved raising the minimum wage and and the votes of everyone mattered, they providing paid sick leave to millions. could look to four places – Arizona, Colorado, Maine, and Washington. Even as many The Fairness Project provides funding questioned why working people across the directly to ballot initiative campaigns, but country, especially in the industrial Midwest, unlike many other funders, it goes beyond seemingly voted against their own economic financial support to provide ongoing services self-interest by electing Donald Trump, voters that give these campaigns cutting-edge in these locations overwhelmingly supported tools to build broad grassroots support and ballot initiatives to raise the minimum wage ensure success on Election Day. Services for 2.1 million working people. This was include digital outreach and social media; in addition to the 6 million workers who data, analytics, and targeting; strategic received raises from ballot initiatives that planning; opinion research; media support; motivated lawmakers to act in California and national campaign coordination. and the District of Columbia. In total, ballot initiatives brought raises to 8.1 million And with little hope that the federal working people, more than 10 percent of all government will pass policies to reduce wage earners in the United States. In Arizona economic inequality and put more money and Washington, voters also approved paid into the pockets of working people, it will sick leave for 2 million workers. be more important than ever to make these gains through direct democracy at the state Standing out of the spotlight but playing and local level. Using its successful model, a critical role in each of these efforts was The Fairness Project is poised to lead and a 13-month-old organization called The support those efforts. Fairness Project. In every jurisdiction in which The Fairness Project worked, significant raises to the minimum wage were either voted into law on Election Day or, prior to being put to a vote, enacted into law by elected officials who cited the minimum wage ballot initiatives as their prime motivation. 6 The Fairness Project is now positioned to multiply its success in 2016, bringing even greater economic gains to more working people in more states in 2017 and 2018. ARIZONA CALIFORNIA COLORADO Passed 58.7-41.3%; raises for Passed by state legislature; Passed 55.1-44.9%; raises for 779,000 workers (+934,000 raises for 5.6 million workers; 488,000 workers; raises the will get paid sick leave); raises raises the minimum wage minimum wage $3.69 the minimum wage $3.95 $5 over six years over four years over four years MAINE WASHINGTON WASHINGTON D.C. Passed 55.5-44.5%; raises for Passed 58.1-42.0%; raises for Passed by city council; raises 181,000 workers; raises the 730,000 workers (+1 million for 127,000 workers; raises minimum wage $4.50 over will get paid sick leave); raises the minimum wage $3.50 four years; eliminates lower the minimum wage $4.03 over four years tipped wage by 2024 over four years Note: In both California and Washington D.C., elected leaders cited active minimum wage ballot initiatives supported by The Fairness Project as the driving force behind enacting the legislation. 7 Ballot Initiatives Ballot Initiatives Can Succeed Where Did Succeed Where Lawmakers Fail Lawmakers Have Failed The ballot initiatives supported by The Congress has failed to raise the wage for Fairness Project showed the power of eight years and many states’ legislators issue-based direct democracy. Candidate- have dragged their feet for just as long. centered political campaigns are often So in 2016 voters took action in their own more theater than substance. They are states to pass extremely popular economic fraught with complex and often off-putting fairness policies. The minimum wage and interactions between candidates, confusing paid leave ballot initiatives were so popular – sometime contradictory – positions on in 2016 that they far outstripped the appeal a multitude of issues, and, in this election, of candidates. The measures passed by a blatantly false claims, fake news stories, and larger margin and bigger vote totals than the meddling of foreign governments. All the winning presidential candidate in all this confounds voters’ decision-making and four states. And, in Maine and Washington, turns them off to the idea that politicians more votes were cast for the minimum will improve their lives. wage ballot initiatives than were cast in the presidential race. That means that some Ballot initiatives, on the other hand, are supporters who turned out to vote for the relatively straightforward and simple, even initiatives didn’t vote for the top of the when opposing viewpoints are put before ticket. The widespread support shows that the electorate. these initiatives appealed to independents and voters of all political stripes. The results show that many people who voted for Trump or for more conservative down-ballot “Our families will dictate candidates also voted in favor of raising the minimum wage and providing paid the future of Arizona, sick leave. not politicians, not special interest groups, “For over a year, Arizona and not even a party.” Healthy Families, working with The Fairness Project, – Tomas Robles, Campaign Chair, Arizona Healthy Working Families has been reaching out to the Latino community and the But ballot initiatives still need to compete organizations that are integral on a crowded and sometimes overwhelming to it.