1. Nonpartisan voter engagement tactics for nonprofits
Plan Ahead 2017, Part 2:
Nonpartisan voter engagement tactics for nonprofits
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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.
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2. What We will cover today
In “Plan Ahead 2017, Part 1” we focused on planning your nonprofit’s voter engagement activities in 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

3. HB

4. HB

5. Voter registration HB

6. New factsheets & checklists
bit.ly/NPVResourceLibrary

7. 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

8. 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

9. REGISTRATION IN YOUR STATE
Nonprofit VOTE’s Voting in Your State Tool:
Fair Elections Legal Network’s Voter Registration Guides:
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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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
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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. Candidate Engagement

18. 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

19. 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

20. BALLOT
MEASURES 20

21. 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

22. 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

23. VOTER EDUCATION & GET-OUT-THE-VOTE23

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

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