Looking for volunteer opportunities in Chicago? Chicago Votes is seeking active young leaders to participate in a campaign that is set on bringing democracy to the masses and increasing public engagement. Their focus on youth involvement and its complementary energy is telling in the description they provide of their work:

“Not left or right, we’re looking forward. We simply believe that democracy works better when more people participate. We’re a non-partisan, pro-democracy. We’re also pro-fun. Very pro-fun.”

Imbuing enthusiasm and passion into a field that too often lacks the “fun” that is necessary to engage a wider audience, the people behind Chicago Votes are committed to providing solutions to real challenges that citizens face, particularly young people. Challenges include confusing, intimidating ballots; poor political accessibility for young people (i.e. difficult voter registration process for those who move frequently); and political exclusion given the often boring, unattractive, and disconnected nature of politics.

It’s in response to these challenges that Chicago Votes is working to train more leaders to promote an understanding of the importance of voting and how candidates and their issues are relevant to us. They are also mobilizing more people from across different barriers and want to see volunteers in Chicago have “Millennial-to-Millennial” dialogues about issues they consider to affect them most. And finally, in the spirit of youthful energy, Chicago Votes is committed to creating more fun in politics by organizing events (such as “Trick or Votin’) that are informative and entertaining all at once.

Per Chicago Vote’s mission statement:

"We believe in the potential of our generation to change politics as usual. We have a deep sense of community and have a higher rate of volunteerism than any generation before us. Chicago Votes aims to channel these fundamental qualities into the local electoral process.”

Learn more about Chicago Votes and sign up to volunteer here.