DES MOINES, IOWA (December 6, 2019) — Every Child Matters and the Iowa Children’s Policy Coalition are launching their Digital Dialogue, a new feature aimed at promoting more robust discussion of children’s issues among presidential candidates throughout the 2020 presidential election.
Digital Dialogue features video collected by grassroots advocates at events across Iowa and New Hampshire. It highlights candidate’s statements on five major policy areas outlined by the Children’s Policy Coalition: early education, children’s health, children’s safety and well-being, family economic security, and equal opportunity. The tool provides users the opportunity to engage directly with candidates on these issues via social media.
The Children’s Policy Coalition launched their Caucus for Kids campaign in May 2019, and have since invited all presidential candidates to participate in their Facebook Live Conversation Series, a 35-minute sit-down Facebook Live broadcast with five advocates from across Iowa. Additionally, advocates and volunteers have attended events across Iowa and New Hampshire and have asked candidates to share their plans for children and families, adding to the public record on these topics.
The Digital Dialogue allows voters to access and respond to this collection of candidates’ comments in one easy location. A Selzer and Company poll conducted in May 2019 found that 80 percent of Iowa voters believe “improving the health, education, and well-being of children” is a high priority that presidential candidates need to address. As such, the Children’s Policy Coalition has made it a priority to ensure voters have a trusted source to access reliable information about the presidential candidates’ statements on issues affecting children and families.
The Digital Dialogue site includes a profile on each presidential candidate featuring video record of their answers to advocates’ questions regarding the five central policy issues. The tool is being released in stages, and currently features candidate statements on the topic of Early Education. The purpose of the site is not a voter guide, and the Children’s Policy Coalition and Every Child Matters do not endorse or provide commentary on candidate platforms. Rather, it is a resource for voters to communicate with candidates about their priorities and the issues that matter to them.
The Digital Dialogue tool can be accessed at everychildmatters.org/digital-dialogue.
About the Children’s Policy Coalition
The Children’s Policy Coalition is a group of more than 20 Iowa organizations committed to raising children’s issues in state and federal elections. Our members are service providers, professional associations, faith organizations, community builders, and advocates. We are a voice for Iowa’s children, educating voters, lawmakers, and candidates for state office about the urgent issues facing our kids and families.
About Every Child Matters
Every Child Matters was founded in 2001 as a 501(c)(3) non-partisan children’s advocacy organization to raise the profile of children’s issues in American policy and politics. The organization’s activities are carried out in collaboration with state-based and national partners, including during election campaigns, through grassroots activism, public education, candidate encounters, and voter-mobilization.
