GET READY FOR
ELECTION DAY!
What Nonprofits Can Do To Get Out and Protect the Vote
Between Now and Election Day
ABOUT US
A national hub of voter engagement
resources and trainings to help nonprofits
encourage our staff and the people we serve
to participate and vote.
About
Find more about our mission and partners on our website:
www.nonprofitvote.org
TODAY’S PRESENTERS
Avi Green
Co-Director
MassVOTE
Who
AGENDA

What Nonprofits Can Do

Getting Out The Vote

Election Day

Tools and Resources

Questions
Agenda
WHAT NONPROFITS CAN DO
• One Rule: A 501(c)(3) nonprofit
may not support or oppose
candidates for public office.
• Voter Engagement: However,
501(c)(3) may undertake a wide
variety of nonpartisan voter
engagement activities,
including:
– Voter Registration
– Voter Education
– Get Out the Vote
Get Out
The Vote
GET OUT THE VOTE

Principles

Talking about Voting!
•
Be positive
•
Be helpful
•
Be prepared

Early Voting

GOTV Activities
Agenda
PRINCIPLES OF GOTV
• Make it Personal: Personal
contact works best!
• Promote Turnout: Everyone’s
doing it. 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
Get Out
The Vote
TALKING ABOUT VOTING!
• Your relationship with your staff,
constituents and community is one
of your greatest assets
• Face to face interaction is most
effective
• Use every interaction and all of your
communications channels to talk
about voting
Talking
About Voting
BE POSITIVE
• 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
MESSAGES THAT WORK
• It’s your civic duty: As an American citizen, it is your responsibility
to do your civic duty and vote on Election Day.
• Improve your future: Voting brings us together as Americans and
is something you can do to help strengthen your community. All
eligible Americans should cast a ballot on Election Day for their
future, their children’s futures, and the future of our great nation.
• Taking control: Voting is your chance to take control over what
happens to your family and your community. Many Americans are
struggling these days and all Americans deserve a say in how to
solve these problems.
Talking
About Voting
MESSAGES THAT WORK (CONT.)
• 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.
• Understand the rules: In order to participate in our
democracy and have your voice heard, you need to
understand the voting rules in your state, register on
time, and show up at the correct polling place..
Talking
About Voting
BE HELPFUL
• Assume that people plan to vote and ask questions
based on that assumption
–
–
–
–
Are you voting early or on Election Day?
What time are you voting? Before work? After work?
How are you getting to your polling place?
What help do you need voting?
• “Scheduling an appointment” to vote
– Research shows that being asked to think about or visualize
your plan to vote increases the chance that you
Talking
will vote
About Voting
BE PREPARED
Make sure you can answer
questions from your clients and
constituents about things like:
• How to vote early
• The day of the week and date of
the election
• The polling place hours
• How to find their polling place
• What ID they might need to vote
• How to get help voting
Get Out
The Vote
EARLY VOTING MATTERS!
• Vote by Mail/Absentee Ballots:
– Find and promote the deadlines
for applying for and turning in an
absentee ballot.
• Early Voting In Person:
– Promote where and when to vote
early in person
Get Out
The Vote
BETWEEN NOW AND ELECTION DAY
• Target your audiences and
activities
• Remind people to vote
• Help people vote
• Create visibility and excitement
Get Out
The Vote
GOTV ACTIVITIES
• 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 Trick or Vote event)
• Give out sample ballots, voter
guides, palm cards
• Remind anyone who calls your
office about Election Day
Get Out
The Vote
ON ELECTION DAY

Provide Assistance

Time Off

Celebrate Democracy
PROVIDE ELECTION ASSISTANCE
• Talk to clients and constituents about
voting and offer assistance
• Help constituents find their polling place
• Promote the toll free voter assistance
hotlines and the free smart phone app:
1-866-OUR-VOTE
1-888-Ve-Y-Vota
Election
Day
TIME OFF ON 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 poll
monitor
Election
Day
CELEBRATE DEMOCRACY!
• Make the election visible
and create a festive
atmosphere
• Ask people about voting
and if possible provide
assistance
Election
Day
TOOLS AND RESOURCES

General Voting Information

Early Voting

Polling Place Finders

Help Lines
STATE VOTING INFORMATION
Learn about voting in your state (early voting,
voter ID, polling place finders, etc.) with these
resources:
• Nonprofit VOTE’s Voting in Your State
• The League of Women Voters’
Vote411
EARLY VOTING
• Nonprofit VOTE 50 State Guide: Links to
official information on Absentee and Early in-person
voting on your state election website
• Long Distance Voter: The absentee ballot experts
and guide to early voting
• US Vote Foundation: Fill out, print and send in
absentee ballot request on your state’s form
Call your local election board for more!
POLLING PLACE FINDERS
• Many states now have online polling place finders. You can
find these sites by visiting Nonprofit VOTE’S Voting in Your
State page and selecting your state
• In addition, The Pew Center on the States’ Voting Information
Project has released a set of tools that will allow people to
find their polling place online
Resources
HELP LINES
Two national voter help lines will be available on Election Day:
1-866-OUR-VOTE
And
1-800-Ve-Y-Vota
Resources
info@nonprofitvote.org
617.357.VOTE (8683)
www.nonprofitvote.org
Nonprofit VOTE
89 South Street
Suite 203
Boston, MA 02111
Avi Green
agreen@massvote.org
Julian Johannesen
julian@nonprofitvote.org
Contact