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Getting Started: Nonpartisan Voter Engagement at Your Nonprofit

Getting Started: Nonpartisan Voter Engagement at Your Nonprofit. Presented by. About us. Founded in 2005, Nonprofit VOTE partners with America's nonprofits to help the people they serve participate and vote.

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Getting Started: Nonpartisan Voter Engagement at Your Nonprofit

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  1. Getting Started:Nonpartisan Voter Engagement at Your Nonprofit Presented by

  2. 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 www.nonprofitvote.org About Us

  3. Today’s presenter Sara Brady Policy Director MassVOTE Julian Johannesen Director of Research and Training Nonprofit VOTE Who

  4. OPPORTUNITY 2014 • The entire House of Representatives, 33 Senators and 36 Governors will be on ballots across the country! • Forty-seven ballot questions are certified for spots on nineteen statewide ballots in 2014 already! • Engaging the Rising American Electorate Opportunity 2013

  5. WHY VOTING • 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

  6. WHY NONPROFITS Accessto underrepresented populations Trust and respect in our communities Proven effectiveness Why Nonprofits

  7. agenda • Being Nonpartisan • Getting Started • Voter Registration • Working with Candidates • Ballot Measures • Voter Mobilization • Resources Agenda

  8. BEING NONPARTISAN

  9. 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 Nonpartisan

  10. 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 Engagement Nonpartisan

  11. 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 cannot represent the organization on a campaign nor use organizational resources for a candidate. Nonpartisan

  12. GETTING STARTED

  13. LEADERSHIP AND BUY-IN • Choose a staff lead • Get buy-in from your ED or program manager • Make sure to get buy in from other staff and volunteers Get Started

  14. 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

  15. VOTING IN YOUR STATE • Nonprofit VOTE’s Voting in Your State Tool: • www.nonprofitvote.org/voting-in-your-state/ • Fair Elections Legal Network’s Voter Registration Guides: www.fairelectionsnetwork.com/resources • Learn about voting in your state • Registration deadlines and rules • Eligibility for ex-offenders • Early voting • Voter ID • Contact your local election officials Get Started

  16. New Checklist!

  17. VOTER REGISTRATION

  18. Two approaches to registration • Promote voter registration • Use communications or an event to announce the deadline • Install our voter reg tool on your site • Conduct voter registration • Hold a voter registration event or drive • Do voter registration as part of services, trainings or events Voter Registration

  19. Principles of voter registration • Combine voter registration with another activity • Updating an address is just as important. Always ask ”Have you moved recently?” Voter Registration

  20. Registration Drives and events • Registration Drives: The best time to do voter registration is in the two or three months leading up to the registration deadline • Single Day Events: Single day events, like a graduation, citizenship ceremony, open house, community meeting, etc. Voter Registration

  21. National Voter Registration Day • September 23rd is National Voter Registration Day! • Sign up now at: • www.nationalvoterregistrationday.org/ • www.celebratenvrd.org Voter Registration

  22. PLANNING A DRIVE Voter Registration • Have a plan: Set realistic goals, create a timeline • Staff and Training: Identify committed staff and volunteers, plan trainings • Know your state’s rules: • How to return completed forms • Eligibility for ex-offenders

  23. WORKING WITH CANDIDATES

  24. Candidate Engagement Candidate Engagement Three ways to connect to candidates Candidate Forums: Sponsor or co-sponsor a candidate forum on a local race Candidate Appearances: Invite candidates for a local race(s) to attend a fall event Candidate Questionnaires

  25. Candidate Engagement Candidate Engagement • Candidate Questionnaire • Ask questions on a range of topics • Not just yes or no. Let candidates explain view, but give a word limit • Send it to all candidates in the race • If a candidate doesn’t respond - may list “no response” or use official statements from the candidate’s website

  26. BALLOT MEASURES

  27. BALLOT MEASURES 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

  28. TWO APPROACHES TO BALLOT MEASURES Ballot Measures • Stay Neutral: Educate constituents about measures on the ballot • Say what a “Yes” or “No” vote means • Translate ballot measures into other languages • Take a position • Advocate for or against a ballot measure up to your normal lobbying limits

  29. GET OUT THE VOTE/ ELECTION DAY

  30. THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND Make it personal: Personal contact works best Create urgency around your issue or the impact of the election Raise the volume as Election Day approaches. That’s when people are most tuned in GOTV

  31. VOTER EDUCATION Two kinds 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 candidates/offices and issues Pass out nonpartisan voter guides or a sample ballot Voter Education

  32. GET OUT THE VOTE GOTV • Create visibility:Make the election visible at your agency • Promote Early Voting • When and how to vote early in person • Help applying for a mail ballot • Promote Election Day voting • Big push in final week and last 2 days • Remind/offer help voting during services, at events, over the phone

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

  34. YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL IF… • You made a plan, got buy-in, had a point person, and… • Got Engaged:  Did at least one voter engagement activity • Increased voting:  The electorate looks more like your community • Built clout: Your election work strengthens your advocacy and services Successful If…

  35. MORE RESOURCES www.nonprofitvote.org

  36. info@nonprofitvote.org 617.357.VOTE (8683) www.nonprofitvote.org Nonprofit VOTE 89 South Street Suite 203 Boston, MA 02111 Sara Brady sbrady@massvote.org Julian Johannesen julian@nonprofitvote.org

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