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1. Encourage your friends, colleagues and neighbors to keep kids in mind when they vote on November 5.
2. Find out when candidates are in town for forums or town meetings. Get there one half hour early so you can talk with the candidates.
3. If you have a good program for kids and families, ask families you work with if they are comfortable telling their stories to the media. Let the media know about your stories, and give them names of families who have given permission.
4. Write a letter to the editor in response to newspaper articles that talk about policies or programs that matter for kids and families.
5. Get on a good e-mail legislative alert list.
6. Talk about the issues within earshot of others—in check-out lines or elevators.
7. Hold an issue forum after the election and ask elected officials to moderate a break out session (instead of giving a speech) so they can listen and learn.
8. Where big badges or T-shirts for your cause when on vacation, shopping or meeting the candidates.
9. Ask the candidates, "What do you know about _____ (early learning, children's health, child development)?
10. Then follow up with, "Where do you get your information on that?" Offer to be an information resource.

These where adapted from tips from Nancy Amidei at the University of Washington and from the Michigan Coalition for Maternal and Child Health (http://www.mcmch.org [6])