2010 ‘No Vote, No Grumble’ campaign launches

In 2006, Partners in Development Foundation established the “Hawaiian Vote 2006 – No Vote, No Grumble” campaign. Their goal was to educate 10,000 people on the importance of voter registration, voter education and showing up at the polls to cast their vote.  Through sign waving, radio and TV ads, setting up voter registration booths and a rally at Iolani Palace they successfully accomplished their goal.

This year, “No Vote, No Grumble” and PHOCUSED (Protecting Hawaii’s Ohana, Children, Under Served, Elderly and Disabled) are cosponsoring a mayoral, congressional and gubernatorial candidate forum from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 14, at the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Kamakakuokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies in Honolulu.

Mayoral candidates will answer questions from 10 to 11 a.m., candidates for the U.S. Congress from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and gubernatorial candidates from 1 to 2 p.m. Food and entertainment will be provided. Call (808) 521-7462 or click here for more information.

Since 2006, there has been a continual drop in participation in the electoral races in Hawaii and the state has one of the lowest voter turnouts in the nation. Concerned social service agencies have agreed to work together to encourage the public to register to vote and educate themselves in issues that impact them and their families.  Partners in Development Foundation, Child and Family Services, YWCA, Goodwill Industries, Easter Seals, Lanakila Pacific and Catholic Charities Hawaii asked PHOCUSED to coordinate this year’s “No Vote, No Grumble” recruitment campaign. HANO is pleased to support this initiative.

PHOCUSED is a newly established nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to increasing the safety for, visibility of, and investment in children and adults in Hawaii who are marginalized, impoverished, and underserved and for whom access to health, human services and housing is critical.

During the 2010 legislative session, PHOCUSED educated and engaged consumer groups and social service agencies on the importance of participating in public policy decisions. PHOCUSED had a constant presence at the state capitol with rallies, an economic forum, educating legislators and helping families tell their stories about the impact budget cuts were having on their lives. It successfully brought together the health, human services and housing groups to defend the safety net from further dismantling. 

2010 is a critical election year.  To make a difference, the voices of nonprofits must be heard. The bottom line is: Those who don’t vote cannot grumble. To be heard we must exercise our right to vote. Click here for more information about “No Vote, No Grumble”.