> Dear Illinois "local food" colleagues --
> *Can we make "Food" an election issue in 2012?*
> With this e-mail I am announcing the first project of a food system
> consulting business.
> *BUSINESS:* *D. Hillman Strategies: Food Policy for Voters*
> *WEBSITE:* *http://DHillmanStrategies.com*
> *PROJECT:* *Illinois Food Vote 2012*
> *ILLINOIS FOOD VOTE 2012..... *
> .......is a survey of Illinois residents to gauge our ability to vote on
> "Food" as a Congressionall election issue in 2012.
> The Illinois survey is a pilot for a national survey that will go live in
> July, following the June primaries. (Although Illinois' primary was in
> March, many other states have their primaries through the summer and into
> September.)
> My personal hope is that all candidates who are running for the U.S. House
> of Representatives from Illinois in 2012 will make "Food" a campaign issue
> (if they haven't done so already).
> Are there any candidates running on a "Food" platform in Illinois? If so,
> who are they? What are the details?
> If not, can groups in the 18 Illinois Congressional districts encourage
> candidates to make "Food" a major campaign issue in 2012? How can we do
> that? What kind of help do groups need?
> This survey hopes to move the needle in the next few months.
> *READ MORE ABOUT Food Vote 2012 below my signature or on my website*.
> *OR *
> *
> *
> *GO DIRECTLY TO the Illinois survey:*
> *Food Vote 2012 - Illinois Survey* <http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CH73X26>
> * *
> **http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CH73X26
> *SURVEY FEATURES include:*
> -- *Open to all Illinois residents* -- voters and non-voters
> -- A*nonymous* *responses. *No personal information is requested.
> -- *8 questions* should take *5**-10 minutes* to fill out.
> -- *Weekly blog-posts:* Survey results will be shared continuously
> throughout the election season and after Nov. 6, 2012.
> -- *Leverage this year's election:* Survey results by Congressional
> district will be available to any Illinois group who wants to leverage
> candidates' interest in Food in 2012
> *
> *
> *PLEASE SHARE this survey *with Illinois residents in your networks.
> Thanks for your participation.
> PS If anyone finds any typos, miscues, bad links, or any other problems
> with my website or the survey, I would appreciate knowing about any
> problems. This is all a work in progress......
> -- Debbie
> Debbie Hillman
> 847/328-7175
> DLHill...@sbcglobal.net
> http://DHillmanStrategies.com
> Evanston Food Council (co-founder and chairperson)
> Illinois Local Food and Farms Coalition (co-founder)
> Illinois Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Council (co-founder)
> Cook County Food System Steering Committee (member)
> *Food Vote 2012*
> *Campaign Issues in 2012*
> These major websites have long lists of current campaign issues. None
> identify food as an issue in 2012.
> *Vote Smart* http://www.votesmart.org/
> *On the Issues* http://www.ontheissues.org/issues.htm<http://www.ontheissues.org/issues.html>
> *CNN Election Center*
> http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2012/campaign-issues.html****
> * *
> *Mission of Food Vote 2012*
> ****
> *Long-range goals*****
> · Support every American adult who wants to *become a food citizen*.****
> · *Develop a Complete Food and Farm System framework* -- feeding
> ourselves + feeding each other -- that can be easily learned and applied by
> any community, any jurisdiction, any agency****
> ** **
> *Short-term goals*****
> · Build awareness of food systems as a high-leverage arena for positive
> civic action -- among voters, media, legislators, government officials,
> organizations****
> · Establish a baseline of knowledge for future action -- between
> elections and during future elections****
> · Build voter self-confidence in natural adult standing regarding a
> basic, universal need -- food.****
> · Build voter skills in claiming adult standing, individually and
> collectively -- sensing, thinking, articulating, deciding, acting about
> food.
> ****
> *Illinois Survey*****
> Based on the March 20, 2012 Illinois primary, there are 35 candidates for
> 18 Illinois seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Three are
> running unopposed; two districts have 3-way races.
> *Illinois Food Vote 2012 seeks to find out:*
> · How many Illinois residents are concerned about "food" as a campaign
> issue?****
> · How many Illinois residents are connected to the Illinois local food
> system networks?****
> ** **
> · Can Illinois voters vote on their food concerns in the general
> election on November 6, 2012?****
> · Are any of the 35 Illinois candidates in the 2012 Congressional
> election running on a "food" platform?
> If so, what are the details?
> ****
> · If not, can constituents mobilize to make food a campaign issue in
> Illinois Congressional districts in 2012?****
> · Can constituents mobilize by Sept. 15, 2012, which would give voters
> about 7 weeks to ratchet up food as a campaign issue before the election?*
> ***
> · If constituents can't mobilize for the 2012 election, what will help
> them mobilize between elections and in future elections?****
> --
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