A Crash Course in Making Political Change | Katie Fahey | TED

Summary

In this inspiring talk, the speaker recounts the grassroots movement they initiated to combat gerrymandering in Michigan. Feeling disillusioned by politicians' inaction and motivated by the Flint water crisis, they took to social media, inadvertently rallying over 10,000 people. Through collective efforts, they successfully amended the state constitution to establish an independent redistricting commission, proving that ordinary citizens can drive significant political change without needing to be experts.

Takeaways

• 😔 The Flint water crisis and the state of the world led to a sense of disillusionment for the speaker.
• 🚗 During a commute, the speaker learned about the lack of action on desired bills due to gerrymandering in Michigan.
• 🤔 Gerrymandering was identified as a major issue where politicians manipulated voting districts to ensure election victories.
• 🗳️ A Facebook post out of frustration led to an unexpected response and the beginning of a political movement against gerrymandering.
• 🔍 The speaker discovered that to end gerrymandering, the redistricting process needed to be changed to prevent politicians from choosing voters.
• 🔄 Michigan's political landscape was revealed as unrepresentative due to gerrymandering, despite being a 'purple state' with balanced party support.
• 👥 The speaker and a coworker, without political experience, began the process of a ballot initiative to amend the state constitution.
• 📝 The initiative required drafting constitutional language, gathering a large number of signatures, and winning a public vote.
• 🌐 A diverse group of volunteers with various skills came together to contribute to the campaign against gerrymandering.
• 🛠️ Resourcefulness and creativity, such as making clipboards for signature gathering, were key to the campaign's success.
• 🗣️ Listening to the public and incorporating their input into the constitutional amendment was a cornerstone of the campaign.
• ✍️ The constitutional amendment was successfully drafted with broad public support and aimed to establish a fair redistricting process.
• 🗳️ With over 442,000 signatures gathered in 110 days, the campaign demonstrated strong public support for ending gerrymandering.
• 🎉 On November 6, 2018, 61% of Michigan voters approved the constitutional amendment to create an independent redistricting commission.
• 🏛️ The newly formed commission, composed of regular citizens, developed fair redistricting maps that matched voter preferences in the 2022 elections.
• 🌟 The speaker emphasizes that anyone can get involved in democracy without being an expert and that collective action can lead to significant change.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial reaction to the Flint water crisis?

The speaker felt disillusioned with the state of the world and was concerned about the lack of action from politicians despite the public's desire for certain bills to be passed.

What industry did the speaker work in and what was their daily routine like?

The speaker worked in the recycling industry and spent most of their day crawling around in garbage cans. They had an hour-long commute to work during which they would listen to the radio.

What is gerrymandering and how does it affect elections?

Gerrymandering is a practice where politicians manipulate voting district boundaries to favor their own party, often resulting in uncompetitive elections and a lack of representation for certain voters.

What motivated the speaker to take action against gerrymandering?

The speaker was frustrated by the lack of clean water for children and the inaction of politicians, who seemed indifferent to the public's vote. They wanted to make a change and started a movement on social media.

How did the speaker's Facebook post lead to a political movement?

The speaker's Facebook post, which was made out of frustration, garnered responses from people who cared about the issue of gerrymandering and wanted to help. This unexpected support led to the growth of a political movement.

What is the redistricting process and why is it important?

The redistricting process is how voting districts are redrawn, typically every 10 years. It's important because it can determine the balance of political power and ensure fair representation.

Why was the speaker's initiative to end gerrymandering significant for Michigan?

Michigan is a 'purple state' with roughly equal numbers of Democratic and Republican voters. The speaker's initiative aimed to ensure that the state's political representation reflected this balance, rather than being skewed by gerrymandering.

What is the ballot initiative process and how did the speaker use it?

The ballot initiative process is a form of direct democracy that allows citizens to propose new laws or amendments. The speaker and their group used this process to propose a constitutional amendment to end gerrymandering.

How did the speaker's group gather the necessary signatures for the ballot initiative?

The group organized volunteers to collect signatures across the state, using creativity and persistence to reach their goal. They ended up collecting over 442,000 signatures in just 110 days.

What was the outcome of the constitutional amendment vote in Michigan?

On November 6, 2018, 61 percent of Michigan voters voted 'yes' to the constitutional amendment, which established an independent citizen’s redistricting commission to end gerrymandering.

What was the impact of the new redistricting commission on the 2022 elections in Michigan?

The new commission produced the fairest maps in Michigan's history, resulting in the 2022 elections having an exact match between how people voted and how representatives were elected.

What message does the speaker hope to convey to the audience about their own power in democracy?

The speaker emphasizes that everyone has the power to create change in democracy, regardless of their background or expertise. They encourage the audience not to be afraid to take action and create the world they want to live in.