centennial

The Role Associations Play in Civic Engagement

Combating misinformation in the 2020 elections; information professionals as reliable storytellers; promoting the importance of voter turnout.

Election 2020’s Reliable Source

Civic Engagement • National Association of Secretaries of State

Combating misinformation in the 2020 elections is the goal of the National Association of Secretaries of State’s #TrustedInfo2020 campaign, which encourages the public to reach out to state and local election officials as reliable sources for accurate election information.

“The best way we can combat potential foreign influence in the 2020 elections is to be united as Americans and look to election officials for accurate election information,” says NASS President Paul Pate, the Iowa secretary of state. “By promoting #TrustedInfo2020, my colleagues and I are able to shine a bright light on the importance of getting election information directly from us—the trusted sources.”

NASS is joining partners in government, associations, and the technology space to help promote this message to a broad audience. Partners include the National Governors Association, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the National Association of Attorneys General, the Center for Democracy and Technology, Google, Facebook, and Twitter. — Lisa Boylan

Information Storytellers

Civic Engagement • Special Libraries Association

In a world where it can be hard to know what to believe, it matters where information comes from. Members of the Special Libraries Association are information professionals who research, curate, and analyze content and data in government, corporate, and other specialized settings. As “information storytellers,” they ensure that information is reliably sourced and presented accurately, says SLA Executive Director Amy Lestition Burke, MA, CAE.

A new SLA Working Group on Return on Investment is focused on showing their value and advocating for information centers inside more institutions. “I see a world that no longer questions the validity of information, content, and data because the information professional community has evolved its credibility,” Burke says. — Julie Shoop

Promote the Vote

Civic Engagement • Civic Alliance

As Election Day nears, get-out-the-vote initiatives are ramping up. The Civic Alliance, an initiative of the nonprofit Democracy Works, has financial support from health insurers, cable TV networks, tech giants, and other companies. The alliance encourages voter turnout, 2020 census participation, and more.

The CAA Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Hollywood talent agency, is at the center of the campaign. CAA President Richard Lovett says the diverse alliance is particularly important in an election year to encourage first-time voters, promote online registration efforts, and help voters find their nearest polling station. He says he hopes the combined efforts will “shape a more optimistic future.” — Lisa Boylan

(emarto/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

Associations Now Staff

By Associations Now Staff

The Associations Now team of editors covers all aspects of association management in print, blogs, and daily news. MORE

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