Chamber Government Affairs

What We Do

• Watchdog• Megaphone• Story Teller• Relationship Builder

What We Do• Identifying, embracing and promoting a cause• Why is it important?

• “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the table”• Legislators listen to their constituents• You are an expert in your field – you know what works and what

doesn’t• Policy changes can impact the work we do and the tools we use• If you don’t speak out, who will?

Policy Development Process

Advocacy Activities/Tactics• Electronic outreach/social media• Earned media• Paid media• Media partnerships• Coalition and network building• Grassroots organizing and

mobilization• Rallies and marches• Voter education• Briefings/presentations• Public service announcements

• Polling• Demonstration projects or pilots• Issue/policy analysis and research• Policy proposal development• Policymaker and candidate

education• Relationship building with

decision makers• Litigation or legal advocacy• Lobbying

Legislative Agenda• “Right now there are amazing opportunities in this great state.

With our leadership and efforts of our members, we can capitalize on this unique time and solidify North Dakota as the envy of the nation. We at the GNDC speak for our members and we will continue to be champions for business.”

Maximizing Your Impact• First question – How aggressive do you want to be?– The Greater North Dakota Chamber works to make

North Dakota’s business climate the best in the nation.– We amplify your voice in the legislature and advance

positions that help your business succeed. We also provide personalized assistance when you are working to grow your business but reach a roadblock.

– Our Specialty is policy, it’s why people join the GNDC

Maximizing Your Impact• Setting an Agenda– Based on significant and broad-based member input• Survey• “If they help write it, they will help underwrite it”

– Be Clear and Consistent– Know what issues are worth dying on the sword for

and what issues you will live to fight another day on.

Maximizing Your Impact• Lobbying– All about relationships• Get to know local officials, include them in your functions,

spend time getting to know them– Use members to bridge the gap between local

officials and the chamber– Relationship first, advocacy second

Maximizing Your Impact• Holding officials accountable– Members join chambers so they don’t have to get

their hands dirty– Voting Records (Chamber Champions)– Letters of Support– Report Cards– Awards– Invitations to Chamber Meetings

Maximizing Your Impact• Political Action– If you want to be a dominate player in the

community finding ways to actively engage and influence the outcomes of elections by helping pro-business candidates• Starting a PAC• Offering endorsements• Do Candidate interviews for newsletters

– Buying a new Porsche but not filling the gas tank

Maximizing Your Impact• Know your limits– The bigger the issue the bigger the fight• Know when to seek professional help

– Measure 5• $2.1M

– Measure 2• $800k

Maximizing Your Impact• Choose your battles– Strong Agenda– Board decisions

• Victim of your own Success– When you are a good advocate, everyone will want

you to advocate for their position– Being able to say “No”

Maximizing Your Impact• State Regulations– Lobbying

• Chamber Representatives should register• Cannot spend more than $60/day on any elected official in

lobbying efforts

Looking Forward• Local Level Politics– Movement is starting to shift to local based politics– Making the change from the bottom up, rather than

top down– Local politics are playing an increasingly important

role in state and national policy decisions

Legislative Scorecard

Chamber Champions• Serves as a basis for campaign endorsements

for incumbent legislators only.• Need to score 85% or better to be denoted a

Chamber Champion• Score is based on how votes align with our

stances and corresponding importance applied to each bill.

Chamber Champions• Last session 71 State Legislators were awarded

a the distinction of Chamber Champion– In 2013, 52 legislators were denoted as Chamber

Champion• Legislators were scored on many pieces of

legislation, but our scorecard highlighted 9 bills.

Chamber Champions• North Dakota Political Landscape– 47 Senators

• 32 Republican • 15 Democrat• 34 Chamber Champions (31Rs, 3Ds)

– 94 House Members• 71 Republican • 23 Democrat• 37 Chamber Champions (35Rs, 2Ds)

Chamber Champions• Pros of Legislative Scorecard– Helps increase influence– Provides for a meaningful session recap– Holds elected officials accountable

• Cons of Legislative Scorecard– Cant make everyone happy– Can’t rate on things legislators don’t know– Always open to criticism – can be perceived as partisan

Chamber Champions• In our opinion, the pros outweigh the cons– This is a great membership tool– Giving us basis for endorsements – Eventually leading to PAC contributions– Eventually leading candidate recruitment

• Members join the chamber to take a stand, and hold their officials accountable.

Questions?