UU Civs (Civic Engagement)

UUCivs collage image

PURPOSE

The mission of UUCivs is to inform and inspire UUAA members and friends about civic and political actions we can each take to advocate for all voices to be heard in the democratic process. We believe sustained efforts will result in a more just and equitable society.

UUCivs promotes civic engagement through non-partisan ACTION and EDUCATION. We support ballot initiatives, petition drives, and legislation that expand voting access and lift up our UU values of justice and democracy. 

UUCivs is committed to supporting and working directly with underrepresented communities who experience voter suppression and other voting barriers. These efforts are in alignment with UUAA’s Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression Vision 2050 Priority Area.

INITIATIVES

  • In 2024, we are addressing the spread of dis- and mis-information related to our elections, voting, and the core values of our democracy, through the creation of a “2024 Election Resources” guide, which identifies non-partisan and governmental groups that provide reliable information on these topics. 
  • In 2022, we joined Center for Common Ground’s Reclaim Our Vote postcard-writing campaign that encouraged under-represented citizens to vote. UUAA congregants hand-wrote and mailed a total of 500 postcards to registered voters in Texas, North Carolina, and Virginia. 
  • In 2020, we focused our get-out-the-vote efforts on helping people navigate the absentee ballot process. We created Voting Kits and held Zoom seminars that walked people through applying for, and voting with, absentee ballots. We shared these Voting Kits with our partners in Pontiac and Detroit, and used them at voter registration tables in Ypsilanti. Through these and other efforts, UUCivs reached an estimated 9,000 potential voters. 
  • In 2018, we centered our work on two Michigan ballot proposals that made voting easier and ended partisan gerrymandering.

PARTNERS

UUCivs helped found the Voting Access for All Coalition. This coalition’s mission is to give a voice to those impacted by the criminal legal system by ensuring they have the opportunity and knowledge necessary to exercise their right to vote in every election. VAAC is a diverse group of organizations and individuals, many of whom are formerly incarcerated. Since our criminal legal system has an unequal impact on historically marginalized communities, VAAC is doing critical anti-racism/anti-oppression justice work.   

We regularly partner with other non-profit community groups on the important issues of voting access, as well as election security and integrity. Efforts undertaken with our partners have included sponsoring candidate forums, providing information on how to become a poll worker, creating and staffing a voter helpline, publicizing ballot initiatives in Michigan that reflect our UU values, and distributing Get Out the Vote materials to community organizations in Washtenaw County. Included among our partners are:

For more information, email: uucivs@uuaa.org

2024 ELECTION RESOURCE GUIDE: