The New Hampshire Citizens’ Alliance is a non-partisan group that encourages political and civic engagement. Claire Cavanaugh had never been politically active until she went to a Citizens’ Alliance voter outreach event.
CLAIRE: Actually I was pretty ignorant to how the state works, how laws work. I knew about a process that I felt was beyond me, quite frankly. But I was very anxious to learn and New Hampshire Citizen’s Alliance gave me a forum where I could learn and ask questions. I can’t tell you how that helped formulate a new path in my life.
Cavanaugh went door-to-door, talking about health care and encouraging people to register to vote.
CLAIRE: It was amazing what I found out there. I found people who had it much tougher than I did and it made me grateful and then I found that people who did have access wanted others to have access as well. Our system has flaws. But I think, honestly, that there is more good than bad in our process - but when we stop talking then I think we are going to run into some real problems.
I have so much to learn, but at the same time have found myself catapulted from someone who didn’t know anything about how these systems work to go into the Statehouse for bills that I believe in and speaking in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. I wouldn’t have been able to do that if it wasn’t for New Hampshire’s Citizen Alliance.
If you want change you must have a voice.