Clean Elections in Your State

# Share Your Rep's Top Donors

Transparency only works when someone looks. Most Americans have never checked who funds their representatives — not because they don't care, but because they don't know the data is public.

Time: 5 minutes Difficulty: Low, look it up, screenshot it, share it Impact: Making the invisible visible

## What to Do

1. Go to opensecrets.org 2. Search for your representative (federal or state) 3. Screenshot their top 10 donors and top industries 4. Share it to your preferred social platform with a simple caption:

Example: "Did you know [Representative's Name]'s top donors include [Industry]? Data from OpenSecrets.org. Look up yours."

No opinion necessary. The data speaks for itself.

Tag @vigilhelp when you share so we can track collective impact.

# Call Your State Legislator

State legislatures are where campaign finance reform is actually moving. While Congress is deadlocked, states are passing small-donor matching programs, ballot measures, and disclosure laws. Your state legislator has more power on this issue than your federal representative.

Time: 2–3 minutes Difficulty: Medium — you'll speak to a staffer Impact: Direct pressure on a decision-maker

## Before You Call

1. Look up your state legislator: Enter your address on your state legislature's website. 2. Check for pending bills: Search "[your state] campaign finance reform bill [year]" to find active legislation. Mentioning a specific bill makes your call more impactful. 3. Know what reform looks like: Small-donor matching, donor disclosure, independent redistricting. The "What Reform Looks Like" lesson has the details.

## Tips

- State your name and zip code first. Staffers tally calls by district. Constituent calls carry more weight. - One ask per call. "Support campaign finance reform" is better than a list of five demands. - It's okay to read the script. Staffers expect it. They're writing down your position, not grading your delivery.

## After You Call

Mark this action complete. Your Impact is recorded.

# Attend a Local Government Meeting

Dark money doesn't just flow into federal races. It increasingly targets local elections — school boards, city councils, county commissions — where a relatively small amount of outside spending can swing a race. And at the local level, showing up in person has the highest impact-per-person of any civic action.

Time: 1–3 hours Difficulty: High — requires scheduling and physical presence Impact: Local officials see you. That changes their calculus.

## How to Find Meetings

1. City/county website: Most local governments publish meeting schedules online. Look for council meetings, commission hearings, or committee sessions. 2. Local newspaper: Check the "public notices" or "government" section for upcoming meetings. 3. Ask during your phone call: If you called your state legislator (Action 2), ask the staffer about upcoming public events.

## What to Say (If Given the Opportunity)

During public comment periods, you typically have 2–3 minutes. Here are talking points:

Point 1 — The local angle: "Outside spending in local elections has increased dramatically since Citizens United. Our city council races should be decided by the people who live here, not by dark money groups based elsewhere."

Point 2 — The consensus: "82% of Americans view money in politics as a threat to democracy. This isn't a partisan issue. I'm asking this body to support transparency in campaign finance at the local level."

Point 3 — The specific ask: "I urge this council to [pass a local disclosure ordinance / support the state's small-donor matching program / pass a resolution calling for a constitutional amendment to limit political spending]."

## After You Attend

Mark this action complete. You've participated in local democracy in person — something fewer than 3% of Americans do in any given year.