Direct Democracy For The Minimum Wage In 2016

Voter Initiatives Are Springing Up and the Fairness Project is Helping Them

While Congress and state legislatures across the country remain paralyzed by partisan disagreement, ballot initiatives hold the promise of improving the lives of millions of Americans. The Fairness Project is bolstering state-based ballot initiative campaigns and driving a national narrative to elevate issues of economic fairness.By harnessing the power of successful ballot initiative campaigns, The Fairness Project is empowering voters to take direct action to change their own lives.

In 2016, The Fairness Project will focus on ballot-initiative campaigns that seek to raise the minimum wage, working with partner organizations across the country to enact legislation through the ballot box to improve pay for millions of working people.

In future campaign cycles, The Fairness Project will work with state-level partners to select a single economic issue aecting a wide number of people, putting it on the ballot in multiple states, and establishing it as a central issue in the national political dialogue of that cycle.

Building this strong national platform will support our 2016 goal of winning minimum wage campaigns in multiple states and establishing a base of support on other economic issues for years to come. The Fairness Project is well positioned for success, as these issues are popular across all demographics.

Why The Minimum Wage?

Raising the minimum wage is an urgent, popular issue that appeals to a wide range of voters. Even in 2014, a year in which numerous progressive candidates were swept out of oce, minimum wage initiatives passed in four conservative states because voters believe ensuring all working people make a livable wage is central to reducing inequality and protecting the American Dream.

New Strategies To Drive Real Economic Improvements for Working Families

The Fairness Project will enable ballot-initiative campaigns to utilize data-driven campaign technology and create a national infrastructure that lives from one campaign cycle to the next by:

• Qualifying ballot measures in as many states and cities as possible;

• Creating the infrastructure necessary to oer a full menu of data, digital, and opinion research services to state-based campaigns;

• Helping build strong, successful state and city ballot measure campaigns;

• Providing support and strategic guidance to state-based ballot initiative coalitions; and

• Establishing a positive, ongoing push for economic equality that drives political debate and energizes state- and city-based initiative campaigns.

The Fairness Project is currently partnering with minimum wage campaigns in California, Maine, and Washington, DC and will continue to add state partners moving forward.