1. PLAN AHEAD BUILDING A VOTER ENGAGEMENT TIMELINE FOR 2012 Presented by

2. TODAY’S PRESENTERS Who Jeff Narabrook Public Policy Associate Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Minnesota Participation Project Julian Johannesen Director of Research and Technology Nonprofit VOTE

3. VOTE NOVEMBER 6 TH ! Agenda

4. This will be the first election after redistricting! 50 million more people will vote in 2012 than in 2010 15 million people will be eligible to vote for the first time in 2012 OPPORTUNITY 2012 Opportunities

6. Why we get out the vote! Advance our missions and our issues Increase voting in our communities Build clout for our organizations and the people we engage and serve Build capacity for our organizations and communities Get our ideas in front of candidates OPPORTUNITY 2012 Opportunities

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

8. MAKING A PLAN

9. Executive Director: Get buy-in from your Executive Director. Staff Lead: Choose a staff lead, someone who will be 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

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

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

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

13. VOTER REGISTRATION

14. 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

15. 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 ceremony, local festival, or local sporting event are good opportunities to register voters. WHEN TO DO VOTER REGISTRATION

16. KNOW YOUR DEADLINE

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

18. 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.

19. Promote voter registration –Put up a voter registration poster in your lobby –Publicize the registration deadline in your newsletter, on your blog or 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

20. CANDIDATE ENGAGEMENT

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

22. VOTER EDUCATION AND GET OUT THE VOTE

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

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

27. 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

28. Factsheets, Guides, Toolkits and more available at www.nonprofitvote.org RESOURCES Resources

29. RESOURCES Resources

30. info@nonprofitvote.org 617.357.VOTE (8683) www.nonprofitvote.org Nonprofit VOTE 89 South Street Suite 203 Boston, MA 02111 Jeff Narabrook jnarabrook@minnesotanonprofits.org Julian Johannesen julian@nonprofitvote.org