PLAN AHEAD BUILDING A VOTER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE FOR 2012 Presented by

TODAY’S PRESENTERS Who Lindsey Hodel Director of Training and Partnerships Nonprofit VOTE Julian Johannesen Director of Research and Technology Nonprofit VOTE

VOTE NOVEMBER 6 TH ! Agenda

This will be the first election after redistricting! 50 million more people will vote in 2012 than did in million people will become eligible to vote for the first time in 2012 OPPORTUNITY 2012 Opportunities

Why we get out the vote! Advance your mission and your issues Increase voting in your community Build clout for you and the people you engage and serve Build capacity for your organization and community Get your ideas in front of candidates OPPORTUNITY 2012 Opportunities

AGENDA Agenda Making a Plan Voter Registration Candidate Engagement and Ballot Measures Voter Education and GOTV Election Day

MAKING A PLAN

Executive Director: Get buy-in from your Executive Director Staff Lead: Choose a staff lead, someone who will become the point person for your voter engagement work Other Staff: Involve other staff and volunteers. Everyone needs to understand the importance of this work. GETTING BUY-IN

Staff and volunteers Clients and constituents People in your community TARGETING YOUR AUDIENCE

What are your ongoing programs or points of contact with your audience? What about special programs and events? Candidates - A local race? Ballot measures? OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT

Who needs to be trained to carry out your activities? When and where will you hold trainings? Training Resources TRAINING

VOTER REGISTRATION

Many community members are already registered to vote Updating an address on a registration is just as important as registering for the first time Even small numbers of registrations aggregate up to a large number on a state-wide or national level PRINCIPLES OF VOTER REGISTRATION

Year Round: As a part of intake or everyday practice Close to Deadline: The best time to do voter registration is in the month leading up to the registration deadline in your state. Single Day: Single day events, like a graduation event, a local festival, local sporting event are a good opportunity for voter registration WHEN TO DO VOTER REGISTRATION

KNOW YOUR DEADLINE

September 25 th is National Voter Registration Day! NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY

At your agency : In your lobby, in classes, at client intake, etc. At events: A high school graduation, a citizenship ceremony, an open house In your neighborhood: A highly trafficked location like a bus station WHERE TO DO VOTER REGISTRATION NOTE: Door-to-door canvassing is not effective when registering voters.

Promote voter registration –Put up a voter registration poster in your lobby –Put a notice of the registration deadline in a newsletter, on your blog, on your site’s homepage or on social media like Facebook and Twitter Conduct your own voter registration activities –Set up a table in your lobby –Make voter registration a part of client intake REGISTRATION ACTIVITIES

CANDIDATE ENGAGEMENT

Candidate Forums: Sponsor or co- sponsor a candidate forum on a local race – 4 months before Candidate Appearances: Invite candidates for a local race(s) to attend a fall event – 1-3 months before Sharing Your Research: Provide candidates your research or policy ideas. – After state primary CANDIDATE ENGAGEMENT Candidate Engagement

VOTER EDUCATION AND GET OUT THE VOTE

What’s on the ballot: Sample ballots and voter guides How to vote: Pass out voter tips on how to vote or get help voting VOTER EDUCATION Voter Education

Do Voter Education Only: Provide nonpartisan voter education on ballot measures Make an Endorsement: Take a position for or against a ballot measure BALLOT MEASURES Ballot Measures

Create visibility: Make the election visible at your agency and in your communications Promote Early Voting: Encourage people to vote early by mail or in person Promote Election Day voting: Contact constituents about voting on Election Day GETTING OUT THE VOTE GOTV

Visibility and Communications: Begin efforts in early October or after the registration deadline, continuing through Election Day Early Voting: The first 3 weeks of October are important. Give out early voting hours and locations and mail ballot applications. Before Election Day: In the three weeks leading up to Election Day give out information about when and where to vote or a help line for voters. GETTING OUT THE VOTE GOTV

Make it a special day Reminders to vote in the last few days Time off for Staff ELECTION DAY Election Day

Promote: If results were good or activities successful, let your audience know what you did to get out the vote Evaluate: Review what you did to inform your future election work POST-ELECTION Post- Election

Factsheets, Guides, Toolkits and more available at RESOURCES Resources

RESOURCES Resources

VOTE (8683) Nonprofit VOTE 89 South Street Suite 203 Boston, MA Lindsey Hodel Julian Johannesen