Voter engagement for hawaiI nonprofits

1. Voter engagement for hawaiI nonprofits Presented by:

2. About HANO Uniting and Strengthening the Nonprofit Sector in Hawaii • Leadership and convening • Advocacy and public policy • Research and information • Communications • Professional development • Products and services About

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 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 at www.nonprofitvote.org About

4. Today’s presenters Who Lindsey Hodel National Field Director Nonprofit VOTE Nikki Love Kingman Director of Public Policy HANO

5. agenda • Hawai’i Elections 2014 • Why Nonprofits and Voting • Staying Nonpartisan • Menu of Options: Voter Engagement Activities • Getting Started Agenda

6. The challenge of voter participation Turnout of eligible voters in Hawaii: 2012 General Election – 44.5% (58.7% nationwide) 2010 General Election – 40.2% (41.7% nationwide) 2008 General Election – 49.0% (62.2% nationwide) Source: United States Elections Project, electproject.org Turnout

7. 2014 General Election in Hawaii Voter registration deadline: Monday Oct. 6 Early walk-in absentee voting: Oct. 21 to Nov. 1 General Election day: Tuesday Nov. 4 Deadlines!

8. 2014 General Election in Hawaii State of Hawaii Office of Elections Web: hawaii.gov/elections Phone: (808) 453-VOTE (8683) Neighbor Isle Toll-free: (800) 442-VOTE (8683) State Elections

9. Why Nonprofits? • Our size and reach as a sector. • Our social missions and the trust we earn from our communities enable us to reach people that no one else can. • Our dedicated staff help those in need every day and understand the importance of active citizenship. • When we do this work, we are effective! • We have to. Why Nonprofits

10. Nonprofits increase voting • Nonprofit VOTE’s Track the Vote report: • Nonprofit voters were 74%likely to vote, 6 percentage points higher than the general public. • Turnout was 18 points higher for Latino voters • Turnout was 15 points higher for voters with household incomes under $25,000. Why Nonprofits

11. Why civic engagement? • Participation gaps still persist in elections and in other forms of civic activity. • Civic engagement leads to new leadership within the community and better/more diverse representation. • People and communities that participate civically report better health outcomes. • Civic engagement programs enhance advocacy and lobbying efforts. Why Voting

12. STAYING NONPARTISAN Nonprofits may conduct nonpartisan voter engagement activities to educate the public and help them participate in elections, including - • May – • Register Voters • Educate Voters • Get Out The Vote (GOTV) • Hold Candidate Forums Staying Nonpartisan

13. STAYING NONPARTISAN A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization may not support or oppose a candidatefor public office. • May not – • Endorse candidates • Donate money or resources to candidates • Rate candidates on single issues Being Nonpartisan

14. Voter engagement activities • Voter Registration • Voter Education • Get-Out-The-Vote and Mobilization • Ballot Initiative and Issue Advocacy Activities

15. Voter registration Common Voter Registration Activities • At a special event like a high school graduation or citizenship ceremony • At your annual meeting or major event • When hiring new staff • As a volunteer activity registering voters at busy sites • At your nonprofit during the 1-3 months before the registration deadline Voter Registration

16. National voter registration day www.nationalvoterregistrationday.org

17. Voter EDUCATION On the Who, Where, and How of Voting • What’s on the ballot? • What are hot races? • When is election day? • Where is my polling place? • How do I vote by mail? • Are there changes to voting? Voter Education

18. Get-out-the-vote Most important contact is often right before election day • Make it personal • Make it positive • Turn up the volume GOTV

19. Ballot measures and advocacy Nonprofits can and should take positions on ballot measures • 501(c)(3) organizations can endorse or oppose ballot measures • Endorsement/opposition counts as direct lobbying (not grassroots lobbying and not electioneering) • Ballot initiatives give voters a reason to turn out • www.nonprofitvote.org/all-resources/ webinars GOTV

20. 4 STEPS FOR GETTING STARTED • Capacity • Skills and Training • Opportunities for Engagement • Making a Timeline Get Started

21. STEP 1: capacity • Leadership:Get buy-in from your ED and your Board. • Staff: Help staff see the importance of civic engagement. • Staff Lead: Establishing a point person is important. • Partners: Who can provide you support and resources? Get Started

22. Step 2: skills and training • Staying Nonpartisan: Knowing the rules for 501(c)(3) nonprofits. • Local Election/Lobbying Rules: Deadlines, how to vote, lobbying rules, etc. • What’s at Stake: What’s on the ballot? What bills are being considered? Get Started

23. STEP 3: OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT • What are your points of contact with your audiences? When, where and how do you interact with them? • Points of service • Classes and trainings • Meetings • Community events • In your lobby Get Started

24. STEP 4: CREATE A TIMELINE Get Started

25. Connect with HANO Hawaii Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations Phone: (808) 529-0454 Web: www.hano-hawaii.org E-mail: nlove@hano-hawaii.org Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! Connect!

26. HANO nonprofit conference Thursday, October 2nd, 2014 Find out more at: www.hano-hawaii.org/

27. Questions? Questions?

28. info@nonprofitvote.org 617.357.VOTE (8683) www.nonprofitvote.org Nonprofit VOTE 89 South Street Suite 203 Boston, MA 02111 Lindsey Hodel, National Field Director lindsey@nonprofitvote.org