Sprinting a political marathon in 77 days

NO on 8, Equality for All — the campaign to defeat Proposition 8, the initiative that intends to ban same-sex marriage in California — is kicking into high gear. In the last month, the campaign has won several major victories:

Pacific Gas & Electric Company donated $250,000 to NO on 8, Equality for All. Its gift represents the largest corporate contribution received by the campaign to date; several statewide labor groups, including the California Labor Federation and the California Teachers Association, endorsed the NO on 8 campaign; and a Field Poll conducted in July showed 51 percent of registered voters are planning to vote against the measure.

Collectively, these developments tell us that the more people find out about Prop. 8, the more they oppose it. With just 77 days remaining before Election Day in a state as big as California, the campaign’s major challenge is reaching enough voters and urging them to vote no.

The Task Force Action Fund is playing a significant role in implementing the campaign’s field efforts, of which Organizing & Training Project Director Sarah Reece is serving as the statewide field director. A seasoned team of several other Task Force organizers is working on the ground in California — most of whom are managing regional or local field operations. The field operation is up and running on all cylinders with multiple offices open in the Bay Area, Los Angeles and San Diego. It is one of the most formidable field operations ever mounted to fight an anti-LGBT initiative.

Thousands of volunteers have stepped forward to give time and money, and most importantly, to talk with voters about why Prop. 8 is bad for California. Many voters have been shocked to hear how the initiative singles out same-sex couples and treats them differently by denying the freedom to marry.

Despite this momentum, much work remains ahead. We know we’re going to have to compete for every vote. The opposition has already publicly announced that it’s raising at least $10 to $15 million to pay for a full-fledged campaign to pass Prop. 8.

Our side is going to have match dollar for dollar everything raised by the other side to make sure voters hear our voices for fairness. And we’ll have to build an even larger team of volunteers to help us talk with voters against Prop. 8, even in places that may be unexpected venues to discuss LGBT equality.

Whether or not we’re Californians, defeating Prop. 8 matters to all of us.

Please support our work to defeat Prop 8