Voting is Social Work Expanding social work’s impact through nonpartisan voter empowerment Nancy A Humphreys Institute for Polit Nancy A Humphreys Institute for Political Social Work

The goal of the voter education pilot program in schools of social work The pilot seeks to bring voter education and practice into required curriculum and field education in schools of social work. The goal for this initiative is to get social work students to embrace voter engagement as part of their professional responsibilities and practice, regardless of practice setting. Nancy A Humphreys Institute for Political Social Work

The vision of the national Voter Empowerment Campaign All social workers understand the important connection between civic participation and individual and community health, and include voter engagement as part of their professional practice. I NFLUENCING S OCIAL P OLICY

Building on Lessons Learned at the Humphreys Institute The Humphreys Institute has promoted agency-based voter registration drives among all MSW students placed in field since Lane, Humphreys et al. (2007) documented the lessons learned which include the need for:  Broad stakeholder support and buy-in;  The importance of training; and  The need to address barriers facing student interns and over- worked agencies.

The importance of voting to social work There are significant benefits to communities and individuals who vote, including: Higher levels of civic participation; Stronger connections within communities; Better outcomes for voters themselves in areas like: health; mental health; and overall well-being. Even if the winner of an election was not their preferred choice, “people are happier with the outcome and feel more in control of their lives if they voted.” --Psychologist Marc Zimmerman, professor at University of Michigan’s School of Health

The power of voting Voting basic expression of power. Groups most underrepresented are young, low income and persons of color. The consequences of giving up this power can be great. Elected officials pay attention to voters. Ferguson, MO revealed a community in which only 13% of the electorate voted. Formerly incarcerated persons who have their civil rights restored are less likely to return to prison. (Florida Parole Commission study, 2010)

Francis Fox Piven and Richard Cloward founded Human SERVE ( Service Employees Registration and Voter Education) in the 1980s whose primary mission was to register voters through NASW and schools of social work. 7 million people registered to vote. Social workers have a long history of empowering clients and communities by registering people to vote.

Voting benefits nonprofits Nonprofits whose communities vote have more access to elected officials, increased clout on issues, and are better positioned to advance their mission. Nonprofits reach people missed by traditional campaigns, contributing to more active citizenship and an electorate that more fully represents the communities we serve.

Nonpartisan engagement means more than just getting people registered Nonpartisan voter engagement includes: Voter registration Voter education Voter outreach—getting people to the polls!

What you need to know about the 1993 National Voter Registration Act This Act requires that states provide voter registration opportunities to clients of public aid programs, including state and nonprofit agencies that administer public assistance programs. Medicaid, Food Stamps, TANF and/or WIC, as well as programs serving people with disabilities.

Voting in Social Work Education Social work’s Education and Policy Accreditation Standards (EPAS) include Educational Policy 2.1.5: Advance human rights and social and economic justice. “…social workers understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination; advocate for human rights and social and economic justice; and engage in practices that advance social and economic justice.”

Voting is social work A 2012 study by Nonprofit VOTE and the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE) showed that nonprofits reached individuals who are younger, lower-income, and more diverse than the general public—groups that historically participate at lower rates. Also supported by research at the Pew Charitable Trust. A 2012 study by Nonprofit VOTE and the CIRCLE Nonprofit VOTE’s 2012 evaluation, Can Nonprofits Increase Voter Turnout? showed that voters contacted by nonprofits voted at higher rates than other voters in their state across all demographics. Nonprofits had their greatest participation impact on voters considered less likely to vote.Can Nonprofits Increase Voter Turnout? Nonpartisan does not mean Nonparticipation

Next time: Creating a culture of voting in all practice settings