The Northside Action Team (NAT) is a neighborhood group of volunteers that works to promote progressive causes. In non-election seasons we reach out to our neighbors to find out what issues they care about. When there is an election we contact voters to encourage them to vote for the progressive, usually Democrat, candidate. Perhaps you’ve shared your views with one of us at your door.
As we move into 2021, NAT will focus on electing progressives. The spring primary on Tuesday, February 16th, will select candidates to fill the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the spring election will be held Tuesday, April 6.
NAT welcomes new volunteers. See NAT’s history for more details. Our activities include the following:
- Voter Registration – We sponsor Voter Education Ambassador training from the Madison City Clerk. Then with our trained volunteers we set up Voter Registration events on the Northside and participate in other events in the area.
- Phonebanking to Volunteers – We have a core group of volunteers who make phone calls to recruit other volunteers for door to door canvassing events. Phonebankers are provided a list of past volunteers to call and a script with the details of upcoming canvass events. We’ve been using printed lists but in 2020 will add the use of a Virtual Phone bank to call right from your PC or mobile device.
- Canvassing and/or Phonebanking to Voters – The primary activity is to reach out voters to find out about issues of concern, make sure they know about upcoming elections, and to encourage them to vote for the progressive candidates. We train volunteers, pair you with a buddy if you prefer, provide printed lists, and support you in any way necessary to help us reach as many voters as possible.
- Manage Canvass Site – During a canvass event there is a team of people that supports the canvassers by setting up the site, checking-in volunteers, training volunteers, distributing materials, providing snacks, and greeting returning canvassers. In 2020 we will also offer the option to use a mobile device based App to reach out to voters and some phonecalling to voters in locked building or whether the weather is prohibitive.
- Data Entry and Volunteer Records – After a canvass event, a team of behind the scenes data entry people enter the responses from people that have been canvassed. Often these people help at the canvass site. We also keep track of who volunteered so we can reach back out to our committed NAT volunteers.