PLAN AHEAD
BUILDING A VOTER ENGAGEMENT
TIMELINE FOR 2012
Presented by
TODAY’S PRESENTERS
Jeff Narabrook
Public Policy Associate
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
Minnesota Participation Project
Julian Johannesen
Director of Research and
Technology
Nonprofit VOTE
Who
VOTE NOVEMBER
TH
6 !
Agenda
OPPORTUNITY 2012
• This will be the first
election after
redistricting!
• 50 million more
people will vote in
2012 than in 2010
• 15 million people
will be eligible to
vote for the first
time in 2012
Opportunities
OPPORTUNITY 2012
Why we get out the vote!
• Advance our missions and our issues
• Increase voting in our communities
• Build clout for our organizations and the people we engage
and serve
• Build capacity for our organizations and communities
• Get our ideas in front of candidates
Opportunities
AGENDA
Making a Plan
Voter Registration
Candidate Engagement and Ballot
Measures
Voter Education and GOTV
Election Day
Agenda
MAKING A PLAN
GETTING BUY-IN
• Executive Director: Get buy-in
from your Executive Director.
• Staff Lead: Choose a staff lead,
someone who will be the point
person for your voter
engagement work.
• Other Staff: Involve other staff
and volunteers. Everyone
needs to understand the
importance of this work.
TARGETING YOUR AUDIENCE
• Clients and constituents
• Staff and volunteers
• People in your community
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT
• What are your ongoing programs or points of
contact with your audience?
• What about any special programs or events?
• Candidates - A local race? Ballot measures?
TRAINING
• Who needs to be trained
to carry out your
activities?
• When and where will
you hold trainings?
• Training Resources
VOTER
REGISTRATION
PRINCIPLES OF VOTER REGISTRATION
• Many community members
are already registered to vote
• Updating an address on a
registration is just as
important as registering for
the first time
• Even small numbers of
registrations aggregate up to a
large number on a state-wide
or national level
WHEN TO DO VOTER REGISTRATION
• Year Round: As a part of intake or everyday practice.
• Close to Deadline: The best time to do voter
registration is in the month leading up to the
registration deadline in your state.
• Single Day: Single day events, like a graduation
ceremony, local festival, or local sporting event are
good opportunities to register voters.
KNOW YOUR DEADLINE
NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY
• September 25th is
National Voter
Registration Day!
WHERE TO DO VOTER REGISTRATION
• At your agency: In your lobby, in classes, at client
intake, etc.
• At events: A high school graduation, a citizenship
ceremony, an open house
• In your neighborhood: A highly trafficked location
like a bus station
NOTE: Door-to-door canvassing is not effective when registering voters.
REGISTRATION ACTIVITIES
• Promote voter registration
– Put up a voter registration poster in your lobby
– Publicize the registration deadline in your newsletter, on your blog or your
site’s homepage, or on social media like Facebook and Twitter
• Conduct your own voter registration activities
– Set up a table in your lobby
– Make voter registration a part of client intake
CANDIDATE ENGAGEMENT
CANDIDATE ENGAGEMENT
• Candidate Forums: Sponsor or cosponsor a candidate forum on a
local race – 4 months before
• Candidate Appearances: Invite
candidates from a local race(s) to
attend a fall event – 1-3 months before
• Share Your Research: Provide
candidates your research or policy
ideas – After state primary
Candidate
Engagement
VOTER EDUCATION AND
GET OUT THE VOTE
VOTER EDUCATION
• What’s on the ballot:
Sample ballots and voter
guides
• How to vote: Pass out voter
tips on how to vote or get
help voting
Voter
Education
BALLOT MEASURES
• Do Voter Education Only:
Provide nonpartisan voter
education on ballot measures
• Make an Endorsement: Take a
position for or against a ballot
measure
Ballot
Measures
GETTING OUT THE VOTE
• Create visibility: Make the
election visible at your agency
and in your communications
• Promote Early Voting:
Encourage people to vote early
by mail or in person
• Promote Election Day voting:
Contact constituents about
voting on Election Day
GOTV
ELECTION DAY
• Make it a special
day
• Reminders to vote
in the last few days
• Time off for staff
Election
Day
POST-ELECTION
• Promote: If results were good or activities
successful, let your audience know what you did to
get out the vote
• Evaluate: Review what you did to inform your
future election work
PostElection
RESOURCES
• Factsheets, Guides, Toolkits and more
available at www.nonprofitvote.org
Resources
RESOURCES
Resources
info@nonprofitvote.org
617.357.VOTE (8683)
www.nonprofitvote.org
Nonprofit VOTE
89 South Street
Suite 203
Boston, MA 02111
Jeff Narabrook
jnarabrook@minnesotanonprofits.org
Julian Johannesen
julian@nonprofitvote.org