1. The webinar will begin shortly…
This presentation will be recorded and sent out to
all attendees with the PowerPoint

2. Hosting a Voter Registration Drive at Your Nonprofit

3. About Nonprofit VOTE
Founded in 2005, Nonprofit VOTE partners with America’s nonprofits to help the people they serve participate and vote. We are the leading source of nonpartisan resources to help nonprofits integrate voter engagement into their ongoing activities and services.
Visit for our free resources, including factsheets, checklists, toolkits, and additional webinars.

4. Agenda Why do voter registration? Staying nonpartisan Making a plan
Your voter registration drive
When
Where
Recruiting and training staff/volunteers
Filling out the form
Q & A with presenter
Dr. Mittie Davis Jones
Chairman, Connection Committee
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
Alpha Omega Chapter

5. Why do Voter Registration at your nonprofit organization?

6. Why Voter Registration
In 2012, 1 in 4 eligible Americans was not registered to vote
Disparities in voter outreach by campaigns
Disparities in election administration across states
Disparities across communities in voter registration & turnout
Who votes matters!

7. Green states: Same Day Registration
Orange states: 4 Week Deadline for Voter Registration

9. Nonprofit Voters Are: 2.3 times more likely to be non- white
2.6 times more likely to be under 25 years old
1.9 times more likely to have less than $30,000 in household income

10. Why Voter Registration
Longer term benefits to your organizations and your community:
Get the Attention of Candidates
Build Community Clout
Foster Community-Based Leadership

11. National Voter Registration Day
Helping hundreds of thousands of people nationwide:
Register before their voter registration deadline
Learn more about an upcoming election they can vote in
Celebrate a civic national holiday!
September 24th, 2019 (and the fourth Tuesday every September) 
Sign up as a partner for FREE posters and stickers at:

12. Staying Nonpartisan

13. THE BASIC GUIDELINE
“A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization may not support or oppose a candidate for public office”
-1954 amendment to US Tax Code

14. Guidelines for voter registration
When registering someone to vote:
You may not suggest which candidate to support or which political party to join
You may explain what it means to register without party affiliation
You may provide nonpartisan voter guides or encourage people to ask friends or neighbors to learn more about the candidates

15. The National Voter Registration ACT
The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 requires:
Agencies signing up people for federal benefits like SNAP, Medicaid, SCHIP, WIC, TANF to proactively offer voter registration
States to designate state-funded programs for people with disabilities to offer voter registration

16. Federal funds and voter registration
Nonprofits who receive Community Service Block Grant funding (e.g. Community Action Agencies) and Head Start agencies may not:
Use CSBG or Head Start funds to pay for staff or materials to conduct voter registration.
Use CSBG or Head Start funds to provide rides to the polls.
AmeriCorps members cannot conduct voter registration during work hours.

17. Making a Plan

18. What to expect 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, it is useful to combine registration with other activities like a voter pledge card or promoting your services or an event.

19. When planning your efforts keep the following in mind:
Getting Started
When planning your efforts keep the following in mind:
Put your plan on paper!
Designate a staff person to take the lead
Gain buy-in from the executive director and staff
Connect with your local elections office

20. Visit fairelectionscenter.org for state fact sheets
Knowing the Rules
Voter registration deadlines
Same day registration/Election day voter registration
Voter registration eligibility requirements
The basics
Pre-registration
Ex-offenders
Voter ID
Safe at Home/address confidentiality programs
State-specific rules on voter registration
Turnaround time
Visit fairelectionscenter.org for state fact sheets

21. Your Voter Registration Drive

22. When to do Voter Registration
Registration Drive: Conduct registration over the weeks or months leading up to the voter registration deadline in your state, e.g. during August, September and October.
Single Day: Focus on a single day, like a weekend or special event
National Voter Registration Day:
September 24th, 2019

23. Where to do Voter Registration
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
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

24. Recruit and train staff and volunteers
Provide training for staff and volunteers on:
Why this is important
Answering FAQs about voting
Answering FAQs about the voter registration form
Making the ask
Filling out the form

25. 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

26. Getting and returning paper forms
Getting voter registration forms
Can you print them yourself or do you need to order/pick them up from the elections office?
Returning completed voter registration forms to your local election office
States have deadlines for returning forms, sometimes as few as 3 business days!

27. Helping complete the paper form
Frequently missed items
Eligibility check boxes
ID number
Date of birth
Party affiliation
Signature and date

28. Promoting Voter registration
When interacting with clients, let them know they can register to vote in your agency!
Use your communications channels - social media, website, newsletter
Create a display in your agency using signs, posters, decorations

29. Online voter registration
Online voter registration is a rapidly growing trend! 2/3rds of states now have paperless online voter registration!
Only 12 states do not have OVR (online voter registration):
AR, ME, MS, MT, NH, NJ, NC, ND*, SD, TX, WY
*North Dakota does not require voters to register

30. Use the chat box to send us your questions.
Question & Answer
Use the chat box to send us your questions.