It’s all hands on deck for MEA members across the state as they volunteer their time to go door-to-door to support pro-education candidates up and down the ballot for next Tuesday’s election.

Sarah Cox, an early-career elementary music teacher in Battle Creek Public Schools, is new to voter canvassing. She says she’s received positive reactions from people at the doors she’s knocked on, reinforcing educators’ trusted voice in the community.

“For the most part, the people I’ve talked to while going door to door have been very kind, even if we don’t agree,” Cox says. “Most people have been willing to listen, and I’ve even had multiple people thank me for what I’m doing.”

Cox says she decided to get engaged and canvass in support of pro-education candidates like state Rep. Jim Haadsma, D-Battle Creek, because “especially now when the world can seem bleak, going out and doing something reminds me that I can still make a change.”

“It’s important to me because if I can convince even one or two more people to vote, it can make a difference,” Cox says.

Cox was joined at the doors recently by fellow Battle Creek teacher Sara Johnson, who affectionately refers to their canvassing team as “Team Sara(h).”

“It’s important to me to canvas because there’s so much at stake in our elections,” Johnson says. “Policies matter, and it’s important that we elect candidates that will protect public education. As a teacher, it’s also important for me to set an example for my students: Living out your values means taking action, not just having the ‘right ideas.’”

Johnson says her conversations with voters have been pleasant: “Everyone was friendly, even those planning to vote another way. Plus, I got to meet another Sarah! Knocking doors together as Team Sara(h) was fun. It’s nice to know other people in my union care as much as I do.”

MEA member Amy Scrima, a psychology professor at Lake Michigan College in St. Joseph, has been working hard to recruit volunteers and motivate voters in Berrien County by helping them recognize they can make a difference in a key swing state.

“It’s an exciting part of democracy and also super-motivating to know you’re part of something bigger than yourself,” Scrima says.

Once people see collective action leading toward change, they jump on board, she explains.

“That’s what our young people need to hear,” Scrima says. “Heck, sometimes all of us need someone to shine a light and give us hope. Then we can do anything, and that’s as good as it gets.”

Patrick Corcoran, an English arts teacher in L’Anse Creuse Public Schools, says he’s canvassing this election season “because we have an important bond on the ballot and two people we endorsed for school board” in S. George Icsman and Andrea Parski.

Corcoran says his conversations with voters typically go one of three ways: Some people silently listen to his pitch. Others ask about the bond proposal. A third group of people support the bond and the union’s recommended school board candidates.

With this latter, most receptive group of voters, “I use that to talk about how we still need help in Lansing from pro-education state representatives,” Corcoran explains, including state Rep. Denise Mentzer, D-Mount Clemens, who is facing a tough re-election battle against a far-right candidate bankrolled by Betsy DeVos and her wealthy family of anti-educator extremists.

Please consider volunteering during this final push as we work in neighborhoods across Michigan to elect friends of public education at the federal, state and local levels.

Visit MEAVotes.org to find out how you can help, look up recommended candidates in your area, find information on how and where to vote, contribute to MEA-PAC and more.