The Progressives' Handbook

Robert Maynard Hutchins, president of the University of Chicago, once said, "The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment,"96 and nowhere is that danger more apparent than in shrinking voter rates. As the non-partisan group Vote for America (www.voteforamerica.org) has noted, "Voter turnout in America has declined steadily for four decades. In fact, only half of eligible Americans voted in the 2000 presidential election, and only 39% voted in 2002."

You can make a difference. Join local community groups focused on getting out the vote, and if you're looking for some excellent resources to back you up, then head over to Vote for America. They've got a three-part plan (pledge, learn, and vote) to convince apathetic voters to hit the polls, and are looking for volunteers to recruit colleagues, neighbors and friends. Check out some of the site's great material available for free download, including:

• The Democracy Toolkit - "a comprehensive educational tool for volunteers, voters, and potential voters" 

• State-Specific Toolkits - "lists of important dates, candidates for federal office, state registration and voting procedure instructions, local elections officials, political parties, and print and television media outlets"

• Presentations and training guides for recruiting and training volunteers

Also visit Rock the Vote (www.rockthevote.com/home.php), a fun site offering everything from downloadable voter registration tools to detailed information on the US electoral system. Read the blog and sign up for the mailing list.