The Arkansas Times recently released a four-part series on the citizen-led push to put abortion rights on the 2024 ballot in Arkansas. Part four of the series focuses on a conflict within the campaign over the use of the VAN data system. The campaign leadership, Lauren Cowles and Gennie Diaz, were reluctant to acquire VAN due to legal compliance and potential conflicts of interest. However, volunteer leaders on the field committee argued that VAN could have significantly boosted signature collection and improved targeting. The conflict ultimately led to the resignation of key staff members and tensions within the campaign.
The use of VAN, a data system commonly used in Democratic campaigns, was seen as a crucial tool by many volunteer leaders to improve the efficiency of the signature collection process. However, the campaign leadership felt that acquiring VAN could pose legal risks and create conflicts with other organizations within the Arkansas Values network. The lack of access to VAN was seen by some as a missed opportunity to significantly improve the campaign’s effectiveness and gather valuable data for future grassroots efforts.
The failure to utilize VAN in the campaign highlighted the challenges of balancing legal compliance, organizational interests, and the need for effective data tools in grassroots organizing. The grassroots volunteer effort showed great dedication and effort in collecting signatures, but the absence of a sophisticated data system may have limited the campaign’s full potential. The conflict over VAN raises questions about the importance of data technology in modern political campaigns and the need for organizations to prioritize data-driven strategies for future grassroots organizing efforts.
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