Transcript HOSTING A CANDIDATE FORUM

PLAN AHEAD 2014:
BUILDING A VOTER ENGAGEMENT
TIMELINE FOR 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.
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
Us
TODAY’S PRESENTER
Lindsey Hodel
National Field Director
Nonprofit VOTE
Who
WHY NONPROFITS?
• Our size and reach
• Our social missions and the trust and respect we
earn from our communities
• Our dedicated staff
• When we do this work, we are extremely effective!
Why
Voting
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 2014
NEW CHECKLIST!
MAKING A PLAN
JAN – FEB: STAFF LEAD AND BUY-IN
• Designate a Staff Lead:
Choose a staff lead,
someone who will be the
point person for your voter
engagement work.
• Establish Buy-In: Get buy-in
from your Executive Director
and senior staff.
JAN – FEB: LEARN THE VOTING RULES
• Learn about 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
• Review nonpartisan guidelines
MARCH – JULY: SET GOALS
• Set ambitious but achievable
goals
– How many of your staff will be
involved?
– How many volunteers?
– How many voter registrations
will you aim for?
– What other election activities to
do?
MARCH – JULY: ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
• Programs and Points of Contact: What are your
ongoing programs or points of contact with your
audience - at your agency, at events, or in your
neighborhood?
• Services or classes to target
• Special programs or events: A graduation ceremony,
a community festival, a citizenship ceremony, etc.
MARCH – JULY: STAFF AND TRAINING
• Identify staff and volunteers
who will be involved
• Get riled up! Provide a
rationale for the work
• Initial training: Make sure
they have the skills they need.
• Ongoing training and support:
Periodically review with staff
what they need to know,
provide materials and
resources
MARCH – JULY: PARTNERING
• Find a training partner like an
advocacy partner or nonpartisan group doing voter
registration
• Meet with your local election
office
• Consider opportunities:
Around ballot measures,
candidate forums or get out
the vote activities
VOTER
REGISTRATION
AUG – SEPT: STARTING VOTER REG
• When: Start in July or August.
Ramp up your activities as
you near the deadline
• Conduct a pilot of your
registration efforts
• Keep in mind:
– Some are already registered
– Updating an address or name is
just as important as registering
for the first time
AUG – SEPT: KICKOFF AND PUBLICITY
• Plan a kickoff event
• Publicize your registration efforts!
KNOW YOUR DEADLINE
NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY
• September 23rd is National
Voter Registration Day!
– www.nationalvoterregistrat
ionday.org/
– www.celebratenvrd.org
VOTER EDUCATION AND
GET OUT THE VOTE
OCT: 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
OCT: 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
OCT: 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 Election Day a special, celebratory day!
• Reminders to vote in the last few days are effective
• 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
• Debrief & 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
[email protected]
617.357.VOTE (8683)
www.nonprofitvote.org
Nonprofit VOTE
89 South Street
Suite 203
Boston, MA 02111
Lindsey Hodel
[email protected]
Julian Johannesen
[email protected]