Chloe Akers is the Founder and CEO of The Best of Tennessee, “is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering a more representative government because Tennesseans deserve leaders who reflect the priorities and values of the communities they serve.”
Chloe joins host Steve Boland to talk about the work of nonprofits to encourage participation in primary elections as a means to impacting government support of nonprofit missions. Chloe shared the history of the Best of Tennessee making the decision to build participation at the primary level because in a post-gerrymander world where districts are now intentionally structured to exclude competitive general elections. Chloe shows how increased participation in primary elections is a more impactful option for charities seeking to engage government partners in their issues.
The Best of Tennessee ran several advertising campaigns (display ads, streaming video, social media) to help potential voters understand the importance of primary campaigns especially compared to the non-competitive gerrymandered general election. The range of messages is part of the strategy. While the Best of Tennessee is a 501 (c) 4 nonprofit, 501 (c) 3 nonprofits are absolutely allowed to encourage people to vote in primary elections, just be aware of prohibitions of advocating for specific candidates or parties.
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