Project description:

Who Are We?

Hello! We are an independent progressive organization known as thedownballot.org. Born out of the political upheaval of 2020, thedownballot is a civic tech platform designed to help constituents translate progressive politics into praxis through down-ballot elections, mutual aid, and community organizing.

What Problem Are We Trying to Solve?

The complex political landscape keeps constituents disconnected from local elections that directly impact legislation on police brutality, healthcare access, public services and other socio-political issues. One key issue that has recently escalated is the use of taxpayer dollars to fund the Israeli apartheid and genocide of Palestinians — an act that hundreds of thousands of voters are deeply opposed to. It’s more clear now than ever before that a large amount of legislation does not reflect the will of the public. Our platform aims to resolve this by making critical information about upcoming elections accessible to all so that constituents feel empowered to push their electeds into listening to the very people who put them in office.  

Where Are We Now?

We’ve had 3 MVPs (minimal viable products) thus far covering the 2020 Wisconsin elections, the New York City Council primary election, and the 2022 midterms. Our next goal is to take all that we have learned and apply it to coverage of the 2024 elections. 

What Are We Looking For? 

We’re seeking software engineers to help us continue to bring our vision to life. This is especially true in the aftermath of the tragic loss of our lead developer. As we transition to using the Digital Ocean hosting platform for our website, we’re seeking volunteers from all sorts of backgrounds — ranging from students looking to work on a pro-bono project for class credit, etc., to anyone who is interested in kindly offering their skills to a growing non-profit — with some experience with Digital Ocean, node.js, react, and mongodb. 

How Much Time is Required for This Volunteering Opportunity?

We are a small team of passionate individuals who also have day jobs and other commitments. We highly respect the time of every single volunteer working on this project and only ask for 1-3 hrs per week of commitment. Typically, volunteers will spend 1-2 hours a week. Rarely does anyone work for longer hours as work-life balance is incredibly important.

Why Should You Join Our Team?

This past year we have made connections with up-and-coming politicians, content creators, and educators who believe in our mission. We are working to create a movement that empowers young voters to utilize multiple strategies to make their demands heard in a manner that is accessible, transparent, and actionable. 

In short, our aim is to provide political education by demystifying the complex world of politics and creating a community of people who share a similar goal – if that is you, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Thank you so much for your time and we look forward to connecting with any interested individuals! In the meantime, you can find our work on our website at thedownballot.org as well as on our Instagram page.

Best,

Joy Malonza