VOTER ENGAGEMENT BASICS For Nonprofits Presented by

ABOUT US About Us 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. Find out more about our mission and partners on our site at

TODAY’S PRESENTERS Who Julian Johannesen Director of Research and Training Nonprofit VOTE Ashley Herad Civic Engagement and Policy Director Louisiana Association of Nonprofits Organizations

VOTE NOVEMBER 6 TH ! Agenda

The first election after redistricting! 50 million more people will vote in 2012 than did in million people will vote for the first time this year OPPORTUNITY 2012 Opportunity 2012

Advance our mission and our issues Increase voting in our communities Build clout for the work we do and people we serve Get our ideas in front of candidates WHY VOTING? Opportunity 2012

WHY NONPROFITS Trust and Respect in our communities Access to underrepresented populations Interest in positive role of government Opportunity 2012

AGENDA Agenda Getting Started Being Nonpartisan Voter Registration Voter Education Working with Candidates Ballot Measures Get Out The Vote and Election Day Resources

GETTING STARTED

Get buy-in from your Executive Director or program manager Choose a staff lead, someone who will become the point person for your voter engagement work BUY-IN AND LEADERSHIP Get Started

Who is your audience –Staff and volunteers –Clients and constituents –People in your community KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE Get Started

What are your points of contact with your audiences? When, where and how do you interact with them? –Point of service –Classes and trainings –Meetings –Community events –In your lobby –Over the phone Are there particular races or ballot measures you want to focus on? OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT Get Started

Learn about voting in your state –Voter registration deadline –Voter registration opportunities –Voting eligibility for ex-offenders –Early voting –Voter ID VOTING IN YOUR STATE Get Started

VOTING IN YOUR STATE Get Started

Visit the Get Started page of our website and get our –Getting Started checklist –Voter Participation Starter Kit Watch the “Make a Plan” webinar on our YouTube channel MORE RESOURCES ON GETTING STARTED Get Started

BEING NONPARTISAN

THE ONE RULE A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization may not support or oppose a candidate for public office or a political party. A 501(c)(3) may not: Make an endorsement Donate money or resources Rank candidates on a single issue Nonpartisan

WHAT NONPROFITS CAN DO Nonprofits may conduct nonpartisan voter engagement activities designed to educate the public and help them participate in elections Voter Registration Voter Education Get Out The Vote (GOTV) Candidate Forums Nonpartisan

WHAT STAFF CAN DO Nonprofit staff are free to engage in partisan activities, such as supporting a candidate, outside of normal work hours, i.e. off the clock. However, staff members cannot be seen as representing the organization on a campaign nor may they use organizational resources for a candidate. Nonpartisan

RESOURCES ON BEING NONPARTISAN Visit the “Staying Nonpartisan” page of our website to: Download our guide to staying nonpartisan, “Nonprofits, Voting and Elections,” Download factsheets like “What Nonprofit Staff Can Do” Review other resources from the Alliance for Justice and IRS Nonpartisan

RESOURCES ON BEING NONPARTISAN Nonpartisan

VOTER REGISTRATION

Promote voter registration –Use your communications, events, classes to announce the voter registration deadline and where to register. Conduct a voter registration activity –Set up a table in your lobby, do voter registration as part of services, trainings or events –Hold a voter registration event or drive TWO APPROACHES TO REGISTRATION Voter Registration

Always combine voter registration with another activity as many people are already registered or not eligible Updating an address is just as important as registering for the first time Even small numbers of registrations add up! PRINCIPLES OF VOTER REGISTRATION Voter Registration

Have a plan: Set realistic goals, timelines Line up staffing: Identify committed volunteers and staff, and someone to be in charge Know your state’s rules: –Deadlines –Getting and returning the forms VOTER REGISTRATION BASICS Voter Registration

Close to Deadline: The best time to do voter registration is in the two months leading up to the registration deadline (August – October) Single Day: Single day events, like a graduation event, citizenship ceremony, open house, community meeting, etc. WHEN TO DO VOTER REGISTRATION Voter Registration

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

Download the “Voter Registration Toolkit” Order a Voter Registration Poster Watch our last webinar on voter registration on YouTube Channel: VOTER REGISTRATION RESOURCES Voter Registration

VOTER REGISTRATION RESOURCES

VOTER EDUCATION

TWO TYPES OF VOTER EDUCATION Education on the process of voting: –Inform clients and constituents of the date of the election, polling place hours, where to get help voting, early voting opportunities, etc. Education on the candidates and issues: –Pass out nonpartisan voter guides or a sample ballot Voter Education

PRINCIPLES OF VOTER EDUCATION Time education close to the election when people are paying attention Use communications to announce dates, deadlines or connect your issues with the election Use points of contact to pass out a voter information card or sample ballot to start conversations Highlight what’s on the ballot beyond the presidential race Voter Education

WORKING WITH CANDIDATES

Candidate Forums: Sponsor or co- sponsor a candidate forum on a local race Sharing Your Research: Provide candidates your research or policy ideas. CANDIDATE ENGAGEMENT Candidate Engagement

Candidate Appearances: Invite candidates for a local race(s) to attend a fall event Asking Questions: Prepare a candidate questionnaire or attend a candidate event to ask question CANDIDATE ENGAGEMENT (CONT) Candidate Engagement

Download the “Guide to Hosting a Candidate Forum” Watch the online narrated training on hosting a candidate forum Watch our last webinar on hosting a candidate forum on our YouTube channel: CANDIDATE ENGAGEMENT RESOURCES Candidate Engagement

CANDIDATE ENGAGEMENT RESOURCES Candidate Engagement

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 BALLOT MEASURES Ballot Measures

Stay Neutral: Educate clients and constituents about measures on the ballot –Turn legalese into common sense language for community members –Translate ballot measures into other languages Take a position –Advocate for or against a ballot measure up to within your normal lobbying limits TWO APPROACHES BALLOT MEASURES Ballot Measures

Download the ballot measure factsheet Watch our webinar “Laws on the Ballot: Taking a Stand on Ballot Measures” on our YouTube channel BALLOT MEASURE RESOURCES Ballot Measures

GET OUT THE VOTE AND ELECTION DAY

LIKE JOINING THE GYM We like to say that registering to vote is like joining the gym. It’s an important first step, but you still have to show up! GOTV

PRINCIPLES OF GET OUT THE VOTE Make it personal: Personal contact works best Create urgency around your issue or the impact of the election Raise the volume close to Election Day when people are most tuned in GOTV

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 GET OUT THE VOTE GOTV

Give staff time off: To work at polls or do nonpartisan GOTV Become a poll worker: Consider being a poll worker or a translator Ask if you voted: Ask everyone if they voted or need help voting Celebrate Democracy: Make Election Day special. Have a party. ON ELECTION DAY Election Day

YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL IF… You Are Successful If… You made a plan, had a point person, and… Got Engaged: Did at least one activity in 4 main categories: Voter Reg, Candidate Ed, Voter Ed, GOTV Increased voting: The electorate looks more like your community Built clout: Your election work strengthens your advocacy and services

MORE RESOURCES

VOTE (8683) Nonprofit VOTE 89 South Street Suite 203 Boston, MA Ashley Herad Julian Johannesen