It’s no secret that the Big Lie has emboldened insurrectionists and “Stop the Steal” candidates to spread misinformation and run for public offices that literally control how elections are run. As of June 6, 2022, at least 23 candidates that deny the legitimacy of the 2020 election are running for Secretary of State in 17 states. This lie has even encouraged people to bring guns to poll sites and intimidate voters.
We won’t be able to implement solutions that will make the ballot box more accessible if the people in charge of elections are actively obstructing it. Nor can we get a record number of people to the polls in 2022 or 2024, if folks feel like their safety is threatened or that their votes won’t be counted.
So, we can’t emphasize this enough: the time is now to drop everything and help us protect our democracy in the lead-up to November 8, 2022. This year, we’re calling this spark Generation Vote Rising and are launching a first of its kind program to protect our elections and mobilize young people for critical Secretary of State races. We are calling on thousands of young people to rise to the moment and join GenVoters in the first youth-led national election protection program. We will work with allies across the country to monitor social media channels for misinformation and provide field support to monitor poll sites for voter intimidation and suppression.
And to the young people who are willing to take time out of your schedules to fight for our democracy and kick out anti-democracy candidates, we are so glad that you are here. We are looking for young BIPOC organizers to join GenVote Ascenders, a first-of-its-kind stipend election program to mobilize young people around Secretary of State races in Arizona, Michigan, and Nevada.
The GenVote Ascenders Program is a paid opportunity for a cohort of highly-motivated young people from historically marginalized backgrounds to work on critical Secretary of State elections across the country. Ascenders will gain high-level experience in leadership development, communications, community organizing and electoral strategy (including phone/text-banking, voter registration.)
At the beginning of this program, Ascenders will attend a ‘Flight School,’ a 3-day training academy that will align the Ascenders to Generation Vote’s movement DNA, theory of change, and provide in-depth electoral organizing training for the upcoming November elections.
Ascenders will be expected to dedicate 15 hours per week to the program and be flexible for both remote and in-person organizing in their respective states.
Yes! Ascenders will be paid $225 per week for participating in our 12 week program, for a total stipend of $2,700.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
We strongly encourage people of color, immigrants, women, transgender and non-binary people, and people with disabilities to apply.
The ideal Ascender: