Nonprofit VOTE in 2010

A lot happened this year, and we want to thank you for the work you did on both the Census and the election.

2010 was a busy year for Nonprofit VOTE, and an opportunity to connect with many new nonprofit partners in all 50 states. We kicked off the year with our Nonprofits Count! Census campaign, inspiring nonprofits to take the lead in reaching out to their communities' hard to count populations. Over 20,000 local nonprofits signed up for our webinars, used our Census toolkits, ordered our "Be Counted" posters, downloaded our bi-lingual fact sheets, and organized their communities around Census response. Others became official Census Questionnaire Assistance Centers or Be Counted sites.

An even greater number of local nonprofits participated in voter engagement activities ahead of the midterm election. Nonprofit VOTE delivered more than 33,000 voter participation toolkits, posters and other resources to local nonprofits in collaboration with our state and national partners. This year, more than 2,500 local and national nonprofits joined or downloaded our webinars. Nonprofit VOTE also conducted in person trainings in dozens of states including California, Arizona, Colorado, Ohio, Louisiana, North Carolina and more.

Our 2010 report will highlight the innovative ways local health centers, neighborhood groups, and human service agencies integrated voter engagement into their ongoing services. This year, voting rates equaled or exceeded 2006 turnout in most of our benchmark counties. Nevertheless, it is clear we must expand our efforts to close persistent participation gaps among the younger and lower income populations served by nonprofits, particularly in midterm years.

In the coming weeks we'll be looking at ways that nonprofits can further impact the fields of voter and civic engagement. Our popular webinar series will return next year, with updates on the Census, redistricting, election reform, and more. We're looking forward to 2011, and are already planning for 2012!

Lastly, many thanks to our partners for their amazing work this year, we couldn't have done it without them!

Protecting Arizona's Family Coalition * California Participation Project * Colorado Nonprofit Association * Colorado Civic Participation Project * Connecticut Association of Nonprofits * Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations * Maine Association of Nonprofits * MassVOTE * Providers' Council of Massachusetts * Michigan Nonprofit Association * Minnesota Council of Nonprofits * Mississippi Center for Nonprofits * Montana Nonprofit Association * Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington (DC) * North Carolina Center for Nonprofits * New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits * New Mexico Center for Nonprofit Excellence * New York Council of Nonprofits * Coalition on Housing and Homelessness of Ohio * United Way of Greater Cleveland * Nonprofit Association of Oregon * Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership * Wisconsin Nonprofits * Alliance for Children and Families * American Association of People with Disabilities Vote Project * Girls, Inc. * Independent Sector * Lutheran Services in America * NAACP * NALEO Education Fund * National Association of Secretaries of State * National Association of Community Health Clinics * National Congress of American Indians * National Council of La Raza * National Council of Nonprofits * National Low Income Housing Coalition * United Negro College Fund * VolunteerMatch * Center for Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Urban Institute * CIRCLE * Voto Latino

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(Broken) Campaign Promises

Now that all the presents have been unwrapped, are you a little sad that Santa didn't leave you a gadget (or an app) that holds candidates to their campaign promises?

If so, you're not alone. Many voters wonder if they have any recourse should they discover a candidate has misrepresented him or herself during the campaign. Can you force a newly elected politician to fulfill the declarations he or she made while campaigning for your vote?

The short answer is no; but in 1912, a voter in New York State tried after a candidate failed to fulfill his campaign obligations once elected. The voter reasoned that he had given his vote in exchange for oral promises made by the candidate, constituting a verbal contract. Thus, he brought a suit against the politician on the grounds of breach of oral contract.

However, the judge disagreed, ruling that "a contract cannot be based on an ante-election promise to voters generally by a candidate for public office, so as to give a voter a right to restrain the promiser from violating same." Simply put, politicians are free to say what they like while chasing votes, and there is no legal recourse the electorate can take to force them to fulfill campaign pledges once in office.

But don't be discouraged! While you can't take your elected official to court over broken promises, that doesn't mean you're powerless. Voting is the best way to hold elected officials accountable. Make sure you're registered. Besides voting, you can also call or write to your representatives and let them know you care about an issue. Don't be afraid to craft a letter to the editor--it's a simple way to let representatives (and your community) know that you care--and you might be surprised how many other voters agree with you.

The full court opinion is under O'Reilly v. Mitchell, 85 Misc. 176, 148 N.Y.S. 88 [Sup.Ct. 1914].

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Census Bureau Releases Population and Apportionment Data

Earlier today, the Census Bureau announced the total U.S. population, each state's population, and the new number of representatives each state will have in the 113th Congress. This map (also at the left) shows which states gained and lost seats based on the data. Here are a few highlights from the release:

• The resident population of the U.S. on April 1, 2010 was 308,745,538, an increase of 9.7% from the 2000 resident population.
  
• The most populous state was California with 37,253,956 people.
• The least populous was Wyoming with 563,626 people.
• Texas gained the most numerically since the 2000 Census, while Nevada gained the most as a percentage of its 2000 Census count.
• Much of the population increase came in the South and West.
  

When the first Census was conducted in 1790, each member of the House represented about 34,000 residents. Since then, the House has more than quadrupled in size, with each member now representing about 21 times as many constituents.

The Census Bureau will be distributing demographic data to states in February and March, which they will then use to redistrict based on population shifts and the new apportionment numbers.

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Arizona Nonprofit Fights Ballot Measure

Nonprofit organizations have played an increasingly important role in organizing supporters for and against ballot measures. In the most recent election, Southwest Human Development--Arizona's largest nonprofit child development agency, serving children ages 0-5 and their families--turned their attention to Proposition 302, which aimed to repeal the First Things First Program, an early childhood services program.

A member of Protecting Arizona's Family Coalition and the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits, Southwest Human Development set the tone for issue-based work. After staff sat down to learn more about voter engagement, they carried the work forward with enthusiasm. Those responsible for home visits were trained to conduct outreach with clients as well as their family members. Southwest Human Development organized numerous phone banks and sent out election reminders through their many networks. They also spread the word about voting by mail, a necessity for many of their clients who lack ready access to transportation.

Southwest Human Development used their get-out-the-vote and registration efforts to talk to the community about Proposition 302 and encourage a "No" vote. Their advocacy and extensive engagement work--not to mention the support of other nonprofits and community members--paid off with the proposition's defeat.

Southwest Human Development was not alone in taking action this year. What issue(s) inspired your nonprofit to act?

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Impending Apportionment

It's not as doom and gloom as it sounds. Apportionment is simply the process by which we determine the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives. With the Census set to announce state populations and the new apportionment numbers next week, now is the perfect time for a quick refresher.

But first, we should thank a few (thousand) people. Apportionment wouldn't be possible without the decennial Census results, so thank you to 257,000 organizations--including countless nonprofits--that partnered with the Census Bureau to help spread the message about the importance of mailing back the Census questionnaire. As a result, 74% of households returned their Census form by mail this year, and twenty-two states met or exceeded their 2000 Census mail participation rate. The 2010 Census was the 23rd Census in our history.

As for apportionment, we'll explain how it works with this two minute animated video, produced by the Census.

The Constitution originally set the number of representatives at 65 until the first Census was conducted in 1790, when membership was increase to 105. There are currently 435 seats in the House of Representatives, and each state is guaranteed at least one representative.

We mentioned on Tuesday that people living in the 50 states as well as military and overseas federal civilian employees (and their dependents) are counted in the apportionment population. However, residents of the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Islands are excluded from the apportionment population because these areas do not have voting seats.

After the 2000 Census, Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Texas each gained two congressional seats. New York and Pennsylvania each lost two seats, but 32 states did not gain or lose a seat. To learn more about the allocation of seats over time, check out this interactive tool from the Census that displays apportionment and population data for the last 100 years.

Once the seats are apportioned, states will redraw their district lines to reflect population changes. The reapportioned Congress, based on 2010 Census data, will convene in 2013 for the 113th Congress.

For more information about apportionment, read this Census fact sheet and check back next week for the results!

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Census Numbers, Coming Next Week

The Census Bureau is required to report the first set of data from the 2010 Census to President Obama by the end of this month. However, they announced yesterday that they're going to be ready 10 days before their deadline. On Tuesday December 21, the Census Bureau will release the national and state populations, as well as the congressional apportionment totals for each state.

Each state will have two different population numbers: the first includes overseas military and federal civilian employees--which is used only for apportionment--while the second does not include those individuals and is used for all other purposes. The release of the count is greatly anticipated because the data will determine which states lose and gain seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Next week's release will not include characteristics data such as age, race, and gender. That information will be released on a rolling basis in February and March. After releasing the official count, the Census Bureau will still have work to do. To keep citizens informed, the Census has produced a timeline that tracks the upcoming release of demographic and redistricting data. Stay tuned for updates on the Census count and what it means for your state and your nonprofit!

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Felon Disenfranchisement in 2010

Felon disenfranchisement has received a lot of press this year, bringing the issue a bit of celebrity.

In January, a three-judge appellate panel applied the federal Voting Rights Act to Washington’s felon disenfranchisement law, overturning a state law that bars felons in prison and under community supervision from voting. However, in October a full sitting of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the ruling and upheld Washington's ban against felon voting. In the process, the court rejected the claim that the constitutional ban discriminates against racial minorities and violates the Voting Rights Act. To challenge the ban, the court said that inmates would have to show that the criminal justice system is "infected by intentional discrimination or that the felon disenfranchisement law was enacted with such intent."

In October, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a legal challenge to the Massachusetts constitutional provision that denies convicted felons in prison the right to vote. The petitioners claimed that the law is racially discriminatory (and in violation of the Voting Rights Act) because blacks and Hispanics are imprisoned at disproportionate rates.

Despite the rulings, a New York Times editorial postured that "Their Debt is Paid." The editorial also found that more than five million Americans were unable to vote in November because of what the author described as "unjust and archaic state laws that disenfranchise former offenders, even when they have gone on to live crime-free lives."

However, there is hope as many states begin to revisit these laws. The Sentencing Project found that in the last 13 years, 23 states have given convicted felons increased voting rights, adding 800,000 former felons to voter rolls. Nine states have either repealed or amended mandates that permanently disenfranchised convicted felons, while eight have made the process to have an individual's voting rights restored easier, and three states have given those on probation and parole the right to vote.

To learn more about the voting rights of felons in you state, visit our website and check out our fact sheet, available in English and Spanish. In the meantime what’s your take on felon voting rights? Should felons be allowed to vote while incarcerated (as is the case in Vermont and Maine), should full voting rights be restored automatically upon release, or should ex-felons have to finish their parole term first?

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Mayor Bloomberg Pushes for Election Reform

After voicing his support for San Francisco's Saturday Voting Act, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is stepping up to the plate. Earlier this week, Bloomberg proposed a series of election reforms, including provisions for early voting, moving the registration deadline closer to Election Day, simplifying the ballot, and making absentee voting easier.

His proposals are based on this study, and will require the approval of state lawmakers in order to be implemented. Bloomberg stressed the need for reform, citing the state's low turnout--in the last three federal elections New York averaged 47th in voter turnout. The mayor was supported by activists and state lawmakers who argue that New York has some of the most restrictive voting laws in the country. If approved, these changes will increase access to the vote, and hopefully create more competitive elections.

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Students Draw the Lines in Virginia

The 2011 Virginia College and University Legislative Redistricting Competition was recently announced, and will allow students to take a stab at redistricting their state. After Census data is made available, student teams will draw Virginia’s congressional and state legislative districts using software developed by the Public Mapping Project. (See our earlier post for more on this tool.)

Their redistricting plans will be judged on whether or not the districts are: compact; contiguous; equal in population; in compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act; encompass communities of interest, and; respect existing political subdivisions. In addition to educating students and the public about the redistricting process, sponsors also point out that the maps will "demonstrate alternative ways to draw Virginia’s districts, which may be compared favorably or unfavorably to the maps produced by the state government."

And for the less studious, or those just looking to express themselves, the Sunlight Foundation has developed "Better Draw a District", which allows you to draw over districts and "encourages you to add graffiti to any and all congressional districts." (Note, this is a self-described "crude, far-from-serious, yet very fun" project.)

Both of these projects make it clear that this redistricting season will have something for everyone.

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'Tis the Season to be…Cordial?

By the time a political campaign season wraps up, most of us feel as though we barely survived a wild west, mud slinging throw-down. Of course, voters have grown increasingly tired of that narrative, and some election reforms might be changing what we can expect from campaigns.

Phil Ting recently announced his bid for San Francisco mayor, and within hours, one of his competitors, Leland Yee, welcomed him to the race. Perhaps most surprising was that the gesture wasn’t sarcastic and there was no trace of irony. Yee voiced his respect for Ting, in addition to listing some of his opponent’s accomplishments. Of course, Yee plugged himself briefly, touting his commitment "to run a different kind of campaign for Mayor" that involves working with other candidates. Still, this kind of introduction marks a sharp break from campaigning as usual.

Yee’s friendliness may stem from the rise of ranked choice voting (RCV), which brought victory to Oakland Mayor-elect Jean Quan. Although Quan was not in the lead after the first round of ballots were counted, she had collected enough second choice votes to propel her to victory, emerging as the overall preference for most voters.

Fair Vote’s Rob Richie said that a decline in negative campaigning is "the clearest effect of RCV" because "candidates going for the same voter base have to balance competing hard with not alienating that constituency." And more positive campaigning seems to be something that voters--at least in California--are interested in.

Earlier this year, California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman was booed when she refused to take down attack ads airing on her behalf. Whitman was making an appearance with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and opponent Jerry Brown at the annual Women’s Conference when NBC’s Matt Lauer asked if both candidates would be willing to pull their negative campaign spots. His question drew loud applause from the crowd, as well as from Schwarzenegger who was seated between the two. Brown agreed, as long Whitman did as well. She refused, and the audience voiced its displeasure. You can watch the scene online.

This year, the Pew Research Center found that 88% of voters said they had seen or heard campaign commercials, and 56% said they had seen a lot of ads. Negative ads continue to be pervasive as more than 55% of voters said that both parties spent more time attacking one another than explaining what they would do if elected.

Governor Schwarzenegger voiced the public’s growing displeasure with bickering politicians: "People are sick and tired of politicians accusing each other of things and attacking each other and calling each other names. It's a waste. It's much more attractive if candidates go out and talk about what is the vision of the future." It’s too early to tell how the campaigns for San Francisco mayor will be conducted when the heat is on, but judging from recent events, these candidates could set a new tone for how races are run, and won.

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Who's Who of Voter Turnout and Partisan Choice 2010

Interested in the who’s who of voter turnout and voter preference in the midterm election? Here are four places to start.

CNN Election Exit Polls
CNN has the best presentation of the main national exit poll shared by all major media outlets. The exit polls show the voter preference by all major demographics – age, income, ethnicity, gender, etc. In parenthesis is each demographic group’s share of the 90 million voters that voted this year. For the national perspective, look at the House national exit poll. For a state by state view, look at the exit polls in Governor or US Senate races.

New York Times Exit Poll Tool
The NY Times has a clever tool that let’s you instantly compare the voter preference of different demographics to exit polls from previous national elections.

Pew Hispanic
The Pew Hispanic Center is the most comprehensive source of Latino voter turnout. Latinos are the fastest growing part of the American electorate. While making up only only 8-9% of the actual turnout in 2010 and 2008, their share of the electorate grows with each cycle.

CIRCLE – www.civicyouth.org
CIRCLE has extensive research on youth civic engagement. Their site has an up to date analysis of voter participation of 18-29 year olds, the most ethnically diverse part of the American electorate. As CIRCLE just reported, the national exit poll just revised their first estimate of youth turnout upward from11% to 12% of the electorate. Still youth turnout in midterms remains a big challenge. There were an estimated 13.5 million fewer younger voters turning out in 2010 than did in 2008, the largest percent drop off of any demographic.

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Volunteers of America

With the holiday season upon us, many nonprofits are looking for volunteers to help staff special programs and services, as well as continuing to recruit folks to help with day-to-day activities. Thus, December is the perfect time to talk about this particular aspect of civic engagement.

People volunteer for a variety of reasons: it makes them feel good, they believe in a cause, they like spending time with other volunteers or clients, and they want to give back in some way. However, many might not consider what they're doing to be civic engagement. Nevertheless, volunteering is an effective way to promote quality of life in our communities, and is a core component of civic engagement.

In 2009, 63.4 million Americans volunteered, 26.8% of the U.S. population. Check out this map to see what percentage of your state volunteered compared to the rest of the country.

If you’ve been thinking about volunteering, there’s no better time to get started. Places like your local school, food pantry, animal shelter, and more are always looking for help. The possibilities are virtually limitless, especially because many organizations also recruit volunteers that can work remotely, often on technology-based projects, such as website design and social media. The best thing about volunteering, is that there's something for everyone. For volunteer opportunities in your area, check out VolunteerMatch, Idealist, or your local newspaper.

For those of you that already volunteer, what are your motivations? Do you think your actions contribute to the civic health of your community?

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Putting History Online

Michigan’s Macomb County is a historian’s dream come true. The county has posted a plethora of information online, including death records, campaign finance reports, and county commissioner minutes dating back to 1924. Now, the county will also be posting its election journals.

Election records from 1998 to the present are already available online, but commissioners approved almost $4,000 for a project that will electronically scan election journals dating back to 1838. The handwritten records from 1838 to 1909 will be indexed by year, and typed records will be text searchable.

The project could be completed by the end of the year, allowing residents, historians, and researchers to learn more about "why certain measures are passed or laws are on the books." Best of all, access is free to the public.

Macomb County is at the forefront of transparent governance, also publicizing its expenditures online, where the public can access reports and records, and "trace the activity of county government spending."

By making this and other information available online, Macomb County is allowing the public to access the things that have effected their lives, whether they happened last year or a century ago. Thanks to Macomb for making information available to residents, and people who just want to learn more!

What kinds of information does your local government make publicly available?

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