The #GoVoteAnnapolis videos will be posted by early September and distributed throughout the city leading up to the September 21 primary city elections.
Action Annapolis is focused on engaging voters and on expanding the voting base, especially in communities that are often underrepresented and tend to have the lowest voter turnout.
Action Annapolis is not only focused on voters getting to know their candidates better—what their priorities are and how they intend to address them—but is also interested in helping Annapolitans learn what voters in neighboring communities are most concerned about.
“We know that the more involved people are with the elections, the more likely they will be to advocate for their and their community’s needs. For many, the local elections seem far removed from the realities of their daily lives. Our hope is that we can help convey to every Annapolitan that they have the power to influence campaigns, candidates and policy,” says Sonia Feldman, spokesperson for Action Annapolis.
The process of creating these videos is a significant collaborative effort, bringing together volunteers from various local groups, including filmmakers working with Ken Starkes, head of ArtReach’s Hood2Good initiative which engages young adults and youth in community projects.
Maryland Hall’s Outreach Coordinator Laura Brino says, “We hope that these videos will provide greater understanding of who our neighbors are and what the conditions of their lives are. By getting to know our candidates and where they stand on important city issues, we can make informed decisions about who can best advocate for us. The Maryland Hall ArtReach team is particularly interested in bringing young voters in to the process and showcasing the storytelling talents of our local youth.”
Follow along with this Action Annapolis initiative via the #GoVoteAnnapolis hashtag on social media. Residents are encouraged to share their own voices by tagging their own posts about the local elections with #GoVoteAnnapolis.
September Update: The videos are now live! Visit Action Annapolis' website to view all of the candidate videos and share your feedback with #GoVoteAnnapolis.