Nonprofits Get Out The Vote 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 a leading source of nonpartisan training, materials and other resources for nonprofits doing voter engagement work. Find out more about our mission and partners on our site

TODAY’S PRESENTERS Who Julian Johannesen Director of Research and Training Nonprofit VOTE Helena Berbano Field Coordinator Nonprofit VOTE

AGENDA Agenda Overview Being Nonpartisan Talking about Voting Planning GOTV Activities Early Voting The Final Two Weeks

GOTV stands for Get Out The Vote GOTV can increase voter turnout by providing timely information to voters Typical traditional GOTV tactics include door- to-door canvassing, phone banking, lit drops, mailers, and robo-calls WHAT IS GOTV? What?

Voting is connected with a host of positive benefits for the individual voter and for communities. Registered voters are more likely to join neighborhood activities, contact elected officials and be active citizens voters- and-non- registered-eligible-citizens WHY VOTING? Why?

Longer term benefits to your organizations and your community: Get the Attention of Candidates Build Community Clout Foster Community-Based Leadership WHY VOTING? (CONTINUED) Why?

When compared to frequent voters, nonvoters: Favored health care reform by a margin of 11 points. Favored increased government services by a margin of 20 points. WHO VOTES MATTERS Why?

Voter turnout among the clients and constituents that nonprofits registered or collected pledges from was 74%, six points above the 68% turnout rate for all registered voters. In fact, nonprofit voters outperformed their counterparts across all demographic groups studied. voting.pdf WE ARE EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE Why?

BEING NONPARTISAN Being Nonpartisan

WHAT NONPROFITS CAN NOT DO: A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization may not support or oppose a candidate for public office. Being Nonpartisan Nonprofits may not: Endorse candidates Donate money or resources to candidates Rate candidates on issues

WHAT NONPROFITS CAN DO Nonprofits may conduct nonpartisan voter engagement activities to educate the public and help them participate in elections. Nonprofits may do: Voter Registration Voter Education Get Out the Vote Being Nonpartisan Candidate Engagement Ballot Measure Advocacy

TALKING ABOUT VOTING Talking About Voting

Content is important. The messenger is also important. Use positive messages –Your voice, your vote –Stand up and be counted –You decide - Don’t let others decide for you. Avoid negative ones –Scale back voter suppression talk that makes voting seem confusing or hard TALKING ABOUT VOTING Talking About Voting

Assume that people plan to vote and help them to do that Ask questions based on that assumption: – Are you voting early or on Election Day? – Do you know your polling place? – What help do you need voting? “Scheduling an appointment” to vote –Research has shown that being asked to think about or visualize your plan to vote increases the chance that you will vote TALKING ABOUT VOTING Talking About Voting

Stand up: It’s important to stand up for our rights and elect leaders who will lift up our country and our communities. America’s future is our future, and we need to vote and make sure the politicians hear our voices and know we count and we matter. We can’t complain about the way things are going if we don’t take responsibility and stand up for what we believe in. Your voice matters: Your vote — along with everyone’s vote — matters. It lets politicians know that the American people have an opinion, and that they need to listen to what we have to say. We need your help. We count on your support to send a message to the politicians that what we do and the services we provide are important. MESSAGES THAT WORK Talking About Voting

PLANNING GOTV ACTIVITIES Planning GOTV

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 MAKE A PLAN! Planning GOTV

Nonprofit Votes Count is a new initiative of Independent Sector, National Council of Nonprofits, United Way Worldwide and Nonprofit VOTE. It’s goal is to provide resources to nonprofit to help them ensure that their staffs, boards and volunteers are registered and ready to vote. NONPROFIT VOTES COUNT Planning GOTV

PRINCIPLES OF GOTV Make It Personal: Personal contact works best! Talk It Up: Your community is voting. Turnout’s expected to be high. Create Urgency: There’s a lot at stake. On issues, for your nonprofit, for the community. Make It Easy: Voting’s easy to do. Planning GOTV

Does your state have a late registration deadline? Does your state have Election Day Registration or some other form of Same Day Registration? Does your state have early voting and if so, what form? When does it begin and end? Where can people do it? What are your jurisdictions polling place hours? What are your state’s laws around time off to vote? Do you know who’s offering rides to the polls? Does your state have a voting hotline? VOTING & ELECTIONS IN YOUR STATE Planning GOTV

EARLY VOTING Early Voting

EARLY VOTING IN THE STATES National Conference of State Legislators

EARLY VOTING ACTIVITIES Vote by Mail/Absentee Ballots: –Help your community get and fill out absentee ballot applications. –Find and promote the deadlines dates for applying and turning it in. Early Voting In Person: –Promote where and when to vote early in person Early Voting

Nonprofit VOTE 50 State Guide: Links to official information on Absentee and Early in- person voting on your state election website EVIC’s Early Voting Calendar: Detailed early voting information for every state Long Distance Voter: The absentee ballot experts and guide to early voting Your local election board EARLY VOTING RESOURCES

THE FINAL TWO WEEKS Final Push

THE FINAL TWO WEEKS Target your audiences and activities Remind people to vote Help people vote Final Push

CREATE VISIBILITY The election should be visible to everyone you interact with Make announcements about the election Put up “Vote November 3” posters or signage Use your communications Final Push

MORE IDEAS - THE FINAL TWO WEEKS Orient staff to answer basic election questions When providing services, ask people if they need help voting Hold a Get Out The Vote event (like a Rock the Balut event) Give out sample ballots, voter guides, palm cards Final Push

Provide Election Assistance: Be able to answer questions about –Where to get help voting –How to find your polling place Ask “Have you voted?” Ask everyone if they voted or need help voting Celebrate Democracy: Make Election Day special. Have a party. ELECTION DAY! Election Day

Allow staff to take part in nonpartisan get out the vote activities Or as a staff person, take personal time to work for a campaign Become a poll worker or translator TIME OFF ON ELECTION DAY Time Off

VOTER TOOLS Voting in Your State: Voting information straight from your SoS Hotlines: Promote the toll free voter assistance hotlines OUR-VOTE Ve-Y-Vota

VOTER TOOLS VIP Voter Information Tool: A tool from Pew and Google. Find your polling place and more. Text VOTE to GOVOTE (468683) Where: KY, LA, MS, NJ, VA, and AZ, CA, CO, CT, IA, ID, IN, MI, MN, NC, NY, OH, UT, WA voter-information- tool/cms/index.html

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VOTE (8683) Nonprofit VOTE 2464 Massachusetts Ave Suite 210 Cambridge, MA Helena Berbano Julian Johannesen