Nonpartisan voter engagement tactics for nonprofits Plan Ahead 2017, Part 2: Nonpartisan voter engagement tactics for nonprofits Audio for the webinar is available through your computer. If you have any difficulties call ReadyTalk support at 800-843-9166 We are live Tweeting today’s webinar using hashtag #npvwebinar. Log on to ask questions or comment. You will receive a follow up email on Tuesday with links to download the PowerPoint and watch the webinar recording. Founded in 2005, Nonprofit VOTE partners with America's nonprofits to help the people they serve participate and vote. We are a leading source of training, materials and other resources for nonprofits doing nonpartisan voter engagement work. Presented by

What We will cover today In “Plan Ahead 2017, Part 1” we focused on planning your nonprofit’s voter engagement activities in 2017. bit.ly/Feb9thMaterials Today we’ll survey some of the most common voter engagement tactics used by nonprofits In March or April, we will hold a webinar focused entirely on how to remain nonpartisan while doing your voter engagement work. Stay tuned. Mention that the recordings are available. We covered some materials in our last webinar on why we at Nonprofit Vote believe this work is so important for nonprofits to do. We also talked about what’s at stake in 2017 and how in some ways 2017 is a special opportunity for nonprofits. If you missed any of that, I encourage you to check out the webinar recording on YouTube. Agenda

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New factsheets & checklists bit.ly/NPVResourceLibrary

Planning voter registration Buy in and staff and/or volunteer recruitment Knowing your stuff What sort of training is required, and when, where, and how will you do it? How do you interact with our clients and what sort of voter registration works best for you? When and where will you do voter registration? What are your goals? Can you partner with anyone? Do you need a data plan? HB Make the case for the work Draw up a plan and timeline Adapt tactics for your nonprofit Educate themselves about voting & elections Recruit & train staff & volunteers Reach out to partners Voter Registration

What to expect It may go a bit slowly! Many people are already registered Updating an address on a registration is just as important as registering for the first time Since many people are already registered, combine registration with pledge to vote A lot lower income folks are forced to move frequently, which means that they’ll also need to update their voter registration with a new address. This is also true of a lot of young people. They move frequently, so they need to update their registration frequently. If you’re tabling or doing voter reg outside your agency, try to combine your registration work with something else, like promoting an event or highlighting one of your services. That way, you’re providing people with an added reason to approach you. Voter Registration

REGISTRATION IN YOUR STATE Nonprofit VOTE’s Voting in Your State Tool: www.nonprofitvote.org/voting-in-your-state/ Fair Elections Legal Network’s Voter Registration Guides: www.fairelectionsnetwork.com Registration deadlines, online options, and SDR Special requirements Eligibility for ex-offenders Registering homeless voters Address confidentiality Contact your local election officials Deadlines! The voter registration deadline. Early voting period. The date that absentee ballots become available, etc Are you in one of the growing list of states that allows people to register online? Are in one of 10 states that has some form of same day registration or election day registration. (Live in North Dakota? They don’t require voter registration!) Are there special requirements for ex-offenders in your state? What about confidentiality for victims of domestic violence? Is there no excuse absentee voting? Is there in-person early voting? What’s your state’s ID requirement? Go to Nonprofit VOTE’s 50 state map. Click on your state and prepare yourself to answer questions like these from your colleagues and your clients. Visit website Voter Registration

Getting/Returning Forms Getting voter registration forms Returning completed voter registration forms to your local election office Turnaround time Retaining information for GOTV Paper forms are best for doing work outside your agency, but can also be helpful if you don’t have easy access to a computer and printer when tabling in your agency The best place to get registration forms is from your local elections officials. You can get forms from the Secretary of State, but your county or city officials will appreciate it if you use their form. When you’re returning forms there are a couple of things to bear in mind. First, although most states are fairly casual about when you return completed registration forms, there are a few that have stricter turnaround times. MN, for example, gives you 10 days to return completed registration forms to your local elections officials. Ask your local officials about turnaround times in your state. The other thing you might want to keep in mind is whether you want to retain any of the information on the registration form to do get out the vote work later on. For example, if you end up with a lot of phone numbers, you might want to call those people on Election Day to make sure that they know where their polling place is located. Doing Voter Reg

When to do it Closer to the deadline is better. For the Nov. election start in July or Aug., & redouble in Sept. Conduct a dry run of your registration efforts Extra Notes: Comment about how registering closer to the deadline is best, to avoid people changing address Plan one or two tests of your voter registration efforts as early as July. Pick a day or week to try out voter registration in your lobby or at an event to make sure you can handle any questions that come up, that you have all the materials you need and that you have a system in place for returning completed forms. Single day events are also a good opportunity to test your system: a graduation ceremony, a citizenship ceremony, a community event, festival or sports event. Many community members are already registered to vote, however, every contact with someone already registered is a chance to remind them of the election date or to hand out a palm card or flyer about the election. This is also why we recommend combining voter registration with other activities. Updating an address on a registration is just as important as registering for the first time. Many lower income folks are forced to move frequently, so there’s a great need for address updates. These same folks may need help finding their polling place come Election Day. Voter Registration

National Voter Registration Day NVRD is held the 4th Tuesday of September. In 2017, that’s Tuesday, September 26th. Natl. focus on registration Large media company & celebrity participation Large social media focus Good partner opportunity www.nationalvoterregistrationday.org Talk about the fact that it’s endorsed by NASS Talk about website Talk about what you get when you sign up as an official participating organization Talk about how this is the 5th year and it’s grown every year. The goal this year is to register 500,000 Last year was an off election year and we still registered 130k people 12

Where to do it At your agency: As a part of services: Integrated into intake or other interactions with constituents Tabling: In your lobby, outside your front door or in a high traffic area In agency: Tabling Key questions: “Are you registered to vote? Have you recently moved?” Or “Have you updated your voter registration recently?” Once or twice a week Use volunteers Pair registration with a pledge to vote program or with other info about services, events, the upcoming elections Voter Registration

Where to do it (cont.) Outside your agency: At events: A citizenship ceremony, a community festival In your neighborhood: A highly trafficked location like a transit stop or shopping area Outside: Events Good opportunity to use volunteers, especially youth groups Voter Registration

Making an effective ask Confidence, assertiveness and eye contact “Are you registered to vote at your current address?” Be accurate. An incomplete form or a form filled out incorrectly does not count Cultural competency when discussing citizenship Are you registered to vote at your current address? IF YES: Great, if you haven't moved since the last election you should be all set. IF NO: I can help you register right now! Make the ask, but also follow up! “Oh, great. Have you moved since you registered? If so, you’ll need to update today.” You’ll be amazed at the number of people who are unaware that they need to update their voter registration every time they move. Doing Voter Reg

New factsheets and checklists More new factsheets: Voter Registration Training Script and Common Responses Tips for Making the Ask Voter Registration Checklist FAQ on Voter Registration Filling Out and Returning the Voter Registration Form

Candidate Engagement

THREE WAYS TO CONNECT Candidate Forums & Appearances: Sponsor or co-sponsor a candidate forum on a local race Candidate Questionnaires Sharing Your Research CONNECT TO THE CANDIDATES! There a lot to say about candidate forums and events and we can’t hope to say it all here. Nonprofit VOTE has a lot resources to help you on this. We’ve got a full length guide to holding a candidate forum, a recorded webinar, a narrated online training and several factsheets. We’ll also be holding another webinar this spring about how to organize a candidate forum. What we can say about forums is that they’re one of the most effective ways to put your elected officials on notice that you’re serious about mobilizing your community to vote. If you think your organization might be interested in holding a forum, start planning early! At forum can take several months to plan. And the higher the office in question, the longer the planning process. Try to find other organizations in your area or in your field who might be interested in co-sponsoring an event. You can also arrange candidate appearances. This gives the candidates a chance to meet with your staff, volunteers, and community members and hear from them about what matters to your community. It’s also a great way for candidates to build support. Candidates are forbidden from campaigning or fundraising during a candidate appearance, but they can certainly listen to you and tell you about their positions on issues. Any appearance like this has to remain nonpartisan. Also, if you invite one candidate, you have to invite them all, although not necessarily to the same event. Candidate Engagement 18

Resources Visit the Resource Library on our website for more information and the following recommended resources: Our upcoming webinar early this summer A Nonprofit’s Guide to Hosting a Candidate Forum “Forum Checklist on a Timeline” “Working with Candidates” Factsheet “Candidate Appearances” Factsheet Resources

BALLOT MEASURES 20

BALLOT MEASURES Activity on ballot measures is lobbying. It’s influencing the passage or defeat of a law, bond measure or constitutional amendment – not the election or defeat of a candidate 501c3 nonprofits may work for or against a ballot measure as a lobbying activity Just as you to lobby a state legislator, here you are “lobbying” the public, because in this case it’s the public that is passing or defeating a law Mention difference between neutral education versus taking a position on a measure… Ballot Measures 21

Resources Visit the Resource Library on our website for more information and the following recommended resources: Our upcoming webinar in early summer “Nonprofits and Ballot Measures” Factsheet Resources

VOTER EDUCATION & GET-OUT-THE-VOTE 23

TWO KINDS OF VOTER ED Education on the process of voting Education on candidates/offices and issues Inform clients and constituents of the date of the election, polling place hours, where to get help voting, early voting opportunities, etc. Pass out nonpartisan voter guides, candidate questionnaires or a sample ballot Voter Education

GET OUT THE VOTE EARLY Promote Early Voting In Person Promote Absentee Voting or Vote by Mail What are the early voting options in your state? When does early voting begin? When does it end? Where can you do it? Provide help with applying for an absentee or mail ballot GOTV 25

TRADITIONAL GOTV Send a postcard Phone bank the weekend, day before, & on E Day Text messaging (with their permission) Door to door canvassing What are the early voting options in your state? When does early voting begin? When does it end? Where can you do it? Provide help with applying for an absentee or mail ballot GOTV 26

GET OUT THE VOTE ON ELECTION DAY Create visibility & buz:  Make the election visible at your agency Reminders: Remind/offer help during services, at events, over the phone Talk to people: “Are you voting before work or after?” GOTV starts with making the election visible to everyone who comes into or works for your agency. We can’t endorse candidates – but we can endorse voting! GOTV 27

ON ELECTION DAY Give staff time off: To work at polls or do nonpartisan GOTV Ask if you voted:  Ask everyone if they’ve already voted or need help voting Celebrate Democracy: Make Election Day special. Have a party. The Boys and Girls Club national office made Election Day “Wear Red, White and Blue” day. Staff wore jeans and red, white and blue apparel Election Day 28

info@nonprofitvote.org 617.357.VOTE (8683) www.nonprofitvote.org 2464 Massachusetts Ave Suite 210 Cambridge, MA 02140 JJ Helena Berbano helena@nonprofitvote.org Julian Johannesen julian@nonprofitvote.org 29