What We Learned in 2013

As 2013 ends, it's the perfect time to reflect on what we learned this year.

This summer, Nonprofit VOTE released a two-part report, Can Nonprofits Increase Voting Among Their Clients, Constituents, and Staff? An Evaluation of the Track the Vote Program. While Part I of the report showcases the impact of nonprofit voter engagement on turnout in 2012, Part II tells the story of the nonprofits that talked to their communities about voting. By tracking the contacts nonprofits made with voters, we found:

• Nonprofits were particularly effective at increasing voter turnout among groups that are traditionally underrepresented in the electoral process. Voter turnout of nonprofit voters compared to all registered voters was: 18 points higher for Latino voters, 15 points higher for voters under the age of 30, and 15 points higher for voters with household incomes under $25,000. 
• Disparities in voter turnout by age, income, race, and ethnicity narrowed or disappeared among voters engaged by the nonprofits compared to the large turnout gaps evident among registered voters. 
• The most successful nonprofits made their voter engagement plans early, giving them time to pilot their programs and make adjustments. 
• Staffing is a key consideration. This means not only having a staff lead organizing and planning activities, but also ensuring there is adequate staffing--provided internally or by a partner--to carry out the efforts. 

In addition to our findings, other organizations also reported on new voting insights:

• Turnout in states with Election Day Registration was 12.5 points higher than in states without it. Election Day Registration accounted for approximately 1 in 8 ballots cast on November 6, 2012 in the eight states (and DC) that allowed it at the time. 
• For young people without college experience, the existence of a photo ID law in their state predicted lower turnout in 2012. However, the same report found that same-day registration improved overall youth turnout. 
• Turnout among voters with disabilities was strong, despite difficulties. 30.1 percent of voters with disabilities reported difficulty in voting at a polling place, compared to 8.4% of voters without disabilities. Nevertheless, 15.6 million people with disabilities reported voting in the November 2012 elections, turning out at a rate 5.7 percentage points lower than that of people without disabilities. 
• 75 percent of disenfranchised voters live in their communities, either under probation or parole supervision or having completed their sentence. 5.85 million Americans are prohibited from voting due to laws that disenfranchise citizens convicted of felony offenses. However, since 1997, 23 states have modified felony disenfranchisement provisions to expand voter eligibility. As a result, from 1997 to 2010 an estimated 800,000 citizens have regained the right to vote.

CIRCLE Reports on Youth Turnout in NJ and VA

According to CIRCLE's calculations of exit polls, youth turnout was 26% in Virginia and 18% in New Jersey this year.  Using the same methods, CIRCLE concluded that youth turnout in Virginia was 17% in 2009 and 18% in 1997, and in New Jersey 26% in 1997 and 19% in 2009. This suggests a significant increase in Virginia in 2013 compared to the two most recent gubernatorial races.

These turnout estimates mean that roughly 288,000 young voters cast ballots on November 5th in Virginia, out of the estimated 1.1 million 18-29 year-old citizens who live in that state. In New Jersey, roughly 206,000 young voters cast a ballot out of the estimated 1.2 million 18-29 year old citizens.

CIRCLE Director Peter Levine noted that "Although 18% and 26% are far from satisfactory, these statistics should be put in context," and that "Turnout is always much lower in off-year gubernatorial elections than in presidential years"

Read CIRCLE's full analysis.

* The estimated numbers of young people who voted in the 1997 and 2009 governors’ races were calculated using: (1) the number of ballots cast in each race according to the media, (2) the youth share of those who voted, based on the exit polls conducted by Edison Research for the National Election Pool, and (3) the estimated number of 18-29 year old citizens taken from the Census Current Population Survey, March Demographic File of that year. Edison Research estimates that its exit polls have a margin of error rate of plus or minus three percentage points.

Youth Turnout: An Essay by Peter Levine

Most people expected youth turnout to decline in 2012. Signs of diminished enthusiasm were hard to miss. For instance, the Pew Research Center reported that just 28% of young people were following the election closely, down from 40% at the same point four years ago.

My organization, CIRCLE, asked a random sample of young Americans whether Barack Obama or Mitt Romney was a "typical politician." The largest group, 36%, said "both." Another 19% chose President Obama alone. That means that an outright majority of young people saw the President as a typical politician, not as an inspirational leader, as they might have said in 2008.

But young people (18-29) actually turned out at almost exactly the same rate this year as they had in 2008: 50%. They preferred Barack Obama by a lopsided 23-point margin and were numerous enough to determine the outcome of the campaign. If Governor Romney had drawn half of the youth vote in Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, he would have won their 80 electoral votes and would now be president.

Since young people voted at the same rate in 2012 despite showing less enthusiasm than four years ago, I think we can conclude that they weren't moved by excitement or hope as much as by commitment and persistence. That is good news because we should want young people of all backgrounds and ideologies to participate in civic life, by voting and also by serving in their communities, following the news, discussing issues, and informing themselves. Civic participation is a habit formed during youth, so the future of our democracy depends on engaging young people today. From that perspective, the increase in youth turnout is heartening, and it's good news that young people have amassed political power by voting–that means that the parties, interest groups, and the news media will compete to engage, persuade, and educate young people.

 But fifty percent turnout is still not impressive. The United States routinely posts the lowest voter turnout rates of any true democracy in the world, and young Americans lag 15 points or more behind older Americans in voting. Also, the "new normal" of massive youth voting is in some ways just a return to the "old normal." In seven of the 10 elections since 1976, youth turnout has been just about 50%. One way to read the trend is to say that youth turnout is stuck at about half of eligible young citizens.

Equally stubborn are disparities in voting by social class. Whereas young people with some college experience voted at a rate of about 63% this November, the turnout of non-college-educated young people was just 36%. Those non-voters were diverse ideologically and included a substantial proportion who liked Mitt Romney better than Barack Obama. But they failed to vote for any candidate.

The whole infrastructure of churches, grassroots political parties, local newspapers, and unions that once introduced working-class young people to politics is now shattered. And the sophisticated turnout operations of modern presidential campaigns focus on likely voters, meaning that college campuses get lots of attention but no one reaches young people who work in retail, service industries, and manufacturing. The hyper-efficient Obama campaign contacted just 5.8% of youth without college experience.

Young voters are back. They turn out in good years and bad and make the difference in close elections. But half of our young people are still non-voters, and their detachment from politics reflects their general alienation from civic life. We can't be satisfied until we reengage them.

Peter Levine is Lincoln Filene Professor of Citizenship & Public Affairs and Director of CIRCLE: the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement at Tufts University's Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service.

Election Highlights from 2012

The 2012 election is over, but there's plenty to learn from the results. Early voting was popular, particularly in battleground states: 69% of votes in Nevada were cast early along with 53% in Florida, 72% in Colorado, and 42% in Iowa. Many voters are taking advantage of early voting opportunities and the flexibility it affords in deciding when and how to vote. These changes are causing nonprofits, communities, and campaigns to rethink the ways they approach Election Day.

Minority voters cast a record 28% of the votes, up from 26% in 2008. For the first time ever, black voters may have voted at a higher rate than white voters. While this is not yet confirmed, the rise in black turnout has been driven by increases in voter participation, not by demographic shifts, as is often the case with other minority groups. According to Pew Hispanic Center projections, Latinos will account for 40% of the growth in the eligible electorate between now and 2030, at which time 40 million Latinos will be eligible to vote--up from 23.7 million now.

Although lagging in overall numbers, youth participation is becoming a critical factor in deciding elections. 46 million youth were eligible to vote in the November 2012 election, including 16.8 million who became eligible since 2008.

Additional turnout information will be available later this year in the next installment of our America Goes to the Polls series and in the Census Current Population Survey: Voting and Registration Supplement.

Partner Spotlight: Girls Inc. She Votes

She Votes 2010 participants in Santa Barbara, California.
Photo Courtesy of Girls Inc.

One of our national partners, Girls Inc., offers a variety of programs aimed to inspire girls to be strong, smart, and bold by equipping them to achieve academically, manage money, navigate media messages, lead healthy and physically active lives, and discover an interest in science, technology, engineering, and math. Each year they serve 150,000 girls, ages 6-18.

Although they aren't yet eligible to vote, Girls Inc. is celebrating girls' voices. Since 2004, Girls Inc. affiliates across the country have been hosting mock elections through their She Votes initiative, actively engaging girls in elections and the political process. In 2010, more than 3,600 girls across the country participated in a mock election coinciding with the November midterm.

Not only did the girls get to vote on a national Girls Inc. ballot initiative, but many local chapters also included mock elections for Governor, Congress, and local offices. In Omaha, Nebraska, girls had the opportunity to use real voting machines, and in Shelbyville, Indiana, the girls campaigned among themselves to be elected President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

In Tarrant County, Texas, the mock election raised questions about the nature and purpose of elections with one girl asking "Why is voting secret? Is it to prevent voters from cheating off of one another?" These and other conversations helped participants better appreciate the importance of voting. She Votes also creates excitement around elections--with girls running through the door on Election Day and applauding for one another as they drop their ballots into the box.

While Girls Inc. focuses on direct service, they also appreciate the need for broader action through advocacy. Girls Inc. recognizes that public policy affects girls' everyday lives and opportunities, and that they can inform those policies. Although encouraging civic participation is not the focus of their work, programs like She Votes empower girls to speak for themselves and show that voter engagement can complement any public service mission.

Every election is a teachable moment, particularly because Girls Inc. wants girls to become active and engaged citizens and leaders. Their She Votes initiative shows that it's never too early to prepare future voters or inspire future candidates!

New Partner Spotlight: Kids Voting USA

Please join us in welcoming Kids Voting USA (KVUSA) to the Nonprofit VOTE network! Kids Voting USA is working to secure the future of our democracy by preparing young people to be educated, engaged citizens. They operate through a national network of community-based affiliates that partner with schools and elections officials to offer students in Kindergarten through high school a range of opportunities for civic learning and engagement.

By combining classroom instruction, family dialogue, and an authentic voting experience, KVUSA is working to create long-term changes in voting behavior. Students take part in a voting experience using a ballot that mirrors that of adults with the same candidates and issues, reinforcing civic knowledge and skills.

Learn more about all of our state and national partners. 

Partner Spotlight: CWLA

Nonprofit VOTE is pleased to introduce one of our newest national partners, the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA)! CWLA is a powerful coalition of hundreds of private and public agencies serving vulnerable children and families since 1920.

CWLA leads and engages its network to advance policies, best practices, and collaborative strategies that result in better outcomes for vulnerable children, youth, and families. Encouraging civic and voter engagement is one of the ways CWLA helps advocate for children and youth, as well as the communities that care for and support them. Their expertise, leadership, and innovation helps improve the lives of millions of children in all 50 states.

Find out how voter engagement can help your organization better meet the needs of your clients and constituents!

Black History Month Voting Facts

As Black History Month comes to a close, we wanted to share some voting statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau.

11.1 million black voters cast a ballot in the 2010 congressional election, making up 12% of the electorate--a slight increase from 11 percent of the total electorate in 2006.
 
55% of eligible black youth ages 18 to 24 turned out in the 2008 presidential election, an 8 percentage point increase from 2004, and the highest turnout rate among all 18- to 24-year-olds.

65% of black citizens turned out in the 2008 presidential election, up about 5 percentage points from 2004.

Black participation rates are on the rise, but we can do even better in 2012. Make sure your organization has a plan for talking to your clients and constituents about voting in this year's elections. Get started today!

Statistics come from the U.S. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration in the Election of 2008 and Voting and Registration in the Election of 2010.

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Recent Trends in Youth Civic Engagement

A new CIRCLE study, "Understanding a Diverse Generation: Youth Civic Engagement in the United States," provides an in-depth analysis of recent youth civic engagement trends. The findings challenge many common myths about the ways in which young people (ages 18-29) are involved in our political system.

The study found that at least three quarters of youth were somehow engaged in their community or in politics in both 2008 and 2010--but in very different ways. Six distinct patterns of engagement emerged in 2010:

• The Broadly Engaged (21% of youth) fill many different leadership roles.
• The Political Specialists (18%) are focused on voting and other forms of political activism.
• The Donors (11%) give money but do little else.
• The Under-Mobilized (14%) were registered to vote in 2010 but did not actually vote or participate actively.
• The Talkers (13%) report discussing political issues and are avid communicators online, but do not take action otherwise.
• The Civically Alienated (23%) hardly engage at all.

See a visual representation of these numbers.

Although this data contradicts the bleak and homogenous picture often painted by the media, it is still clear that many young people are not fully engaged. Other research suggests that some of them could be persuaded to vote if they were directly asked to participate or if voting seemed more accessible--something nonprofits can address. Learn more about nonprofit voter engagement and how your organization can increase participation rates in your community.

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A New Look at On-Campus Voter Registration

A recent study, "Getting Registered and Getting to the Polls" examines the impact of on-campus voter registration efforts on college student turnout.

Although many schools frequently host on-campus registration drives, their success is generally evaluated solely on the number of forms collected. However, this study focuses on what happens after students register.

The authors explore whether or not students who register through an on-campus voter registration drive actually turn out to vote, and if providing basic information about the voting process to those students increases turnout.

By comparing the turnout rate of students who registered through the on-campus drives with the turnout rate of similar young people, the study found that students who registered on-campus turned out at a higher rate than young people nationwide.

And while it is important to analyze and improve on-campus registration strategies, we must also look at new and innovative ways to engage non-college youth in the political process. This includes registering eligible high school students and looking to expand pre-registration opportunities for 16 and 17-year-olds.

Because it has become difficult to reach many individuals at home, other voter mobilization efforts are increasingly important. Nonprofits and other community-based organizations are well-positioned to reach younger community members and to make the case for the importance of civic participation. By encouraging young people to register and to vote, we can increase the likelihood that they participate in both upcoming and future elections. Get started today!

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Rock the Vote is Keeping Score

Last week Rock the Vote released a new state Voting System Scorecard which found that most states are failing to both prepare and engage young people in the democratic process.

Using a 21-point scale, the scorecard measures state laws and policies on voter registration, casting a ballot, and young voter preparation. According to the scorecard, the states with the best policies supporting youth participation are Washington (68%), Iowa (66%), Montana (61%), and North Carolina (61%). Many of these states offer Same Day Registration or online registration and some type of early voting (by mail or in person), as well as high school testing for civics education. The states that scored the lowest are South Carolina (18%), Virginia (18%), Connecticut (20%), Oklahoma (23%), and Tennessee (23%).

Only 15 states scored above 50% and the average national score is 41% (8.6 out of 21 total possible points), leading Rock the Vote to conclude that "young Americans are being left out of the democratic process because of outdated voter registration practices, barriers encountered when trying to cast a ballot, an our country's failure to adequately prepare them for active citizenship."

Your nonprofit can help ensure that young voters are engaged by putting up a "Register to Vote" poster, making registration forms available, and talking to clients and their families about the importance of registering and casting a ballot.

Read the press release, and for more download the one-page scorecard or read the full report and PowerPoint presentation.

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"Young Black Voters: The Future of American Politics"

Last month the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) hosted a webinar featuring Dr. Cathy Cohen--a political science professor at the University of Chicago--who addressed "Young Black Voters 2008 to 2012: The Future of American Politics."

The 2008 presidential election saw an increase of 3.4 million young voters, when youth turnout rose to 53% (an 11% increase over 2000). Black and Latino youth fueled the gains, and in fact, 53% of black youth voted in 2008, 4% more than white youth.

One of Dr. Cohen’s major arguments was that there is no homogeneous "youth vote" and lumping younger voters together under that heading does a major disservice to all young people.

Why is it important to distinguish between different youth factions? Youth have different views on various issues. For example, 69% of black youth think that racism is still a major problem, compared to 51% of Latino youth and 31% of white youth. And when asked if they feel like a full and equal citizen, 66% of white youth and 63% of Asian youth said yes, while only 43% of black youth and 43% of Latino youth said yes.

Moreover, only 55% of black students graduate from high school--compared to 78% of white students--and 35% of black children live in poverty. Currently, black men have the highest unemployment rate among youth. The various individuals who make up the "youth" voting bloc vote for different reasons and are motivated by different issues. That is why it is important not to categorize them all together as simply "youth."

Reaching out to all young voters is critical because individuals 18-35 are the group least likely to be contacted by a political party. College is traditionally an institution that mobilizes young people, which means that we must have other methods of targeting youth that are not enrolled in college.

In 2008, we saw many innovative mobilization strategies, such as the use of community organizations and new media. Dr. Cohen said that the key to organizing young black voters in 2012 will be to reach first time voters and non-college young people through innovative and non-traditional strategies, with messaging on issues that are important to them. Through this work, we can counter the conventional wisdom that black youth are not interested in politics.

By heightening the involvement of young people, we are building sustained civic communities. Cultivating a sense of civic duty and encouraging lifelong voting habits among all youth are critical for national civic health and the future of our democracy. At Nonprofit VOTE, we think that nonprofit organizations and social service agencies have a role to play in this movement. Such organizations are well-positioned to begin to address these participation gaps and reach out to potential voters.

Learn more about Dr. Cohen and her work.

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17-Year-Olds Gain Primary Election Vote in Connecticut

Connecticut voters passed a ballot measure Nov. 4th allowing 17-year-olds to vote in primaries if they will turn 18 by the general election date. The measure passed by a 2:1 margin, making Connecticut the 19th state to endorse such a proposal. Read more

Election Day Turnout Among Latino and Youth

Increased youth and Latino voter participation on November 4th played an unprecedented large role in deciding the 2008 presidential election. For more on these groups’ influence this year, see updates from the Pew Hispanic Center and CIRCLE.

OVF launches Youth Vote Overseas

Overseas Vote Foundation announced the first site designed specifically for young voters abroad, Youth Vote Overseas, at the 6th Annual American Democracy Project (ADP) National Meeting on June 12, 2008 in Snowbird, Utah.

The Youth Vote Overseas website, started as a Facebook group called "Youth Vote Overseas," enables users to easily navigate the complicated overseas absentee voting process by helping them fill out the registration form online and providing the mailing address, instructions and resources for further information.

New Report: Youth Turnout in 2008 Primaries (CIRCLE)

More than 6.5 million young people under the age of 30 participated in the 2008 primaries and caucuses. This marks a dramatic increase in youth voter turnout over the last comparable election cycle in 2000. In states where data is available for both the 2008 and 2000 primaries, the national youth turnout rate rose from nine percent in the 2000 primaries to 17 percent in the 2008 primaries. Download the press release. View CIRCLE's fact sheet.

National Campus Voter Registration Project Launches Your Vote, Your Voice

The National Campus Voter Registration Project has launched a nonpartisan, nationwide campaign to register college students, educate students about the issues and candidates, and motivate students to go to the polls on Election Day. The National Campus Voter Registration Project, is a joint effort of 50 national higher education associations that provides resources to the nation's 3,700 colleges and universities to aid campus efforts for the 2008 election.

The Your Vote, Your Voice web site includes state-by-state details on voter registration, voter education and participation activities. The campaign is targeted to campus organizers.

"In the last two presidential elections, students saw the difference that each individual vote can make," said NAICU President David L. Warren. "Civic awareness and voter engagement is on the rise on campuses across the country. If the momentum continues through the party conventions and into the fall, the student vote will not only hit a record high but it could determine our next president."

Throughout the primaries, polls have shown record levels of engagement among the nation's youth, especially with college students, who have taken on active roles in the 2008 primary season. Research by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Education (CIRCLE) found that 79 percent of the youth voting, ages 18- 29, in the 2008 Super Tuesday primaries on February 5 had attended college.

The project is co-chaired by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), and Council of Independent Colleges (CIC).

Read more.
Link
http://www.naicu.edu/news_room/national-initiative-aims-to-set-record-voter-turnout-at-colleges-and-universities