In the next 7 months Oakland Rising will be contacting at least 20,000 voters in the flatlands to talk with them about Ranked Choice Voting (also known as Instant Runoff Voting).  In November 2010, voters will be using Ranked Choice Voting for the first time since it was approved by 68% in the November 2006 election.  It's been a battle to get City Council to move it forward, but we're finally on the path!  Below is an article written by our Field Director that outlines the struggle and the victory of Instant Runoff (Ranked Choice) Voting. Read more »

It's time again for the national Census. Oakland Rising is working with it's coalition partners (East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Asian Pacific Environmental Network and Causa Justa::Just Cause) to ensure that everyone is counted -- especially low-income people, communities of color, undocumented immigrants and formerly incarcerated persons. We can't miss this opportunity to include people that are typically left behind and ensure they are properly represented in local, state and federal governments. The Census is also a means of bringing much-needed resources to Oakland.  Read more »

Welcome back to Fast Forum!  Consider it a “Plenary-to-Go” or, maybe an “Insta-Debate!”  We pick a hot topic and ask 3 – 6 organizers from across the country to weigh in. They will have about 500 words to make us go “….hmmmmm.” Our hope is to draw out new ideas and to encourage new voices to take a stab at the freshest challenges facing our community. This month, we asked four organizers for their reflections on the question:
How does electoral work support or undermine grassroots organizing efforts?