Voter Registration and Pledge to Vote
Cards

• What are our respective strengths?
– Community organizations have grassroots relationships, but less time and capacity for voter engagement work
– Voter engagement infrastructure programs have capacity and time, but no grassroots relationships

• Community organizations are busy, likely overstretched and focused on meeting their essential missions
• The simpler and more effective we can make voter contacts, the more widespread the adoption
• Registration and commitment cards are a straightforward, low-cost and efficient way for organizations to make a big impact
• Very concrete, practical and clear

• Organizations asked clients to fill out an ‘I will vote’ commitment card for three weeks in
October
• Cards were dropped off and picked up by hand
• MPP sent reminders with polling location and the names of candidates on the ballot.
• The messages were sent by phone, text message, email and/or mail, in accordance with the voter’s preferences listed on the commitment card.

• Neighborhood House, Goodwill/Easter Seals and Wilder Foundation reached 129 residents in a three-week period who committed to voting in the November 7 St. Paul municipal election.
• After the voter file is updated with 2011 election results on March 4, public election records will be examined to understand the voting behavior of the organization’s clients.

• Long been a central tactic and activity within nonprofit voter engagement
– government grants may mandate or prohibit voter registration work
• Service providers play a key role in keeping the voter rolls accurate and updated
• Essential and necessary step, but insufficient by itself to move the needle on voter turnout

• Raise awareness about the election
• Provides opt-in mechanism for those already registered
• Make people promise!
– making a written or oral commitment increases the likelihood a person will actually perform a behavior
• Gather crucial information
• Get consent for additional contacts

• Provide additional reminders and information to the voter
– Repeated voter contacts are VERY important to increasing turnout
• Can be used to remind people that whether you vote is a matter of public record
• May be used to check registration status of your list to help people know if theirs is up-todate or not

• ‘Petition-style’ list
• Individual pledge cards
• Electronic or online pledge
• Can include an element that is sent back to voter
(or not)
• Can include any number of opt-in ways to be contacted
• Can include additional information about how to participate

• Leverages what they have (relationships) with what you have (systems support)
• Builds and strengthens advocacy programs
• Allows for measurable results
• Can be added in a variety of ways to an existing service delivery model

• Data collection (and sharing) makes organizations nervous
• Accuracy of data on cards
– 55 th Street E
– E 55 th St.
– East 55 th Street
– Legal name vs. your ‘everyday’ name
– Transitory participants
• Clarity of data on cards
• Accuracy of data entry

• Should match the voter file
– What goes on the voter registration card is what the voter file contains
• Consent language
• Additional voting information to leave with voter
• “I will vote because I care about….”
• Other ideas?