A Cause for Celebration: Voter Registration!

Yesterday Nonprofit VOTE joined MIRA and MassVOTE in registering over 1,000 new American citizens to vote following a naturalization ceremony in Boston.

This effort kicked off our annual celebration of voter registration, which we traditionally highlight in September. We choose to focus on voter registration in September because many states have voter registration deadlines in early October, up to 30 days before an election.

Although nonprofits can register voters year-round--particularly when registration is integrated into ongoing services--focusing on registration in September allows organizations to take advantage of heightened interest and visibility around an upcoming election.

Cities across the country, and even some states, are holding elections this fall and our webinar last month addressed how nonprofits can successfully increase participation rates during these critical local and municipal elections.

Visit our website for ideas and resources on how to conduct effective registration efforts. Stay tuned this month as we debut new voter registration tools and tips!

(The photo above was taken August 31, 2011 by Nonprofit VOTE staff.)

Last Week's Candidate Forum Webinar

Thank you to everyone who joined us for last Thursday's webinar, Nonpartisan Candidate Forums: Building Clout for your Nonprofit. A special thanks to Cheryl Crawford and George Pillsbury for sharing their expertise.

Due to technical difficulties during the webinar, the recording was clipped. We apologize for the inconvenience. Nevertheless, you can download the PowerPoint and audio portion of the presentation, or watch the presentation with audio online. Feel free to follow up with our presenters if you have any additional questions:

Cheryl Crawford
Deputy Director, MassVOTE
Email: ccrawford@massvote.org

George Pillsbury
Executive Director, Nonprofit VOTE
Phone: (617) 357-8683
Email: gpillsbury@nonprofitvote.org

Lindsey Hodel
Director of Training and Partnerships, Nonprofit VOTE
Phone: (303) 910-5700
Email: lhodel@nonprofitvote.org

Learn more about working with candidates, including how to host a nonpartisan candidate forum.

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Candidate Forum Webinar this Thursday

Join Nonprofit VOTE on Thursday as we discuss techniques for organizing an effective candidate forum, how to stay nonpartisan throughout the process, and for tools to help you every step of the way.

The webinar, Nonpartisan Candidate Forums: Building Political Clout for Your Nonprofit is Thursday, June 23rd at 2:00pm Eastern.

Cheryl Crawford, Director of Programs at MassVOTE, will present along with Nonprofit VOTE's founder and Executive Director, George Pillsbury.

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June Webinar: Building Clout with Candidate Forums

We hope you can join us for this month's webinar:

Nonpartisan Candidate Forums: Building Political Clout for Your Nonprofit
Thursday, June 23rd at 2:00pm Eastern
Hosting a nonpartisan candidate forum gives your nonprofit the opportunity to educate candidates and the public about the issues that matter to your organization and the communities you support. Organizing or co-sponsoring a candidate forum can also help your nonprofit build relationships with future elected officials, making it easier to hold them accountable and giving you greater access to them once in office. Join us to learn more about techniques for organizing an effective candidate forum, how to stay nonpartisan throughout the process, and for tools to help you every step of the way.

Featured Presenters: Cheryl Crawford is the Director of Programs at MassVOTE, a nonpartisan statewide organization that promotes voter participation, with a focus on historically underrepresented communities. In her role at MassVOTE, Cheryl trains nonprofits on how to successfully host candidate forums during local and state elections. Cheryl also chairs the Membership Committee of the NAACP's Boston Branch and is the board chair of Emerge Massachusetts, an organization that supports more women running for elected office. George Pillsbury is Nonprofit VOTE's founder and Executive Director. He is the author of several of its guides and toolkits such as "A Nonprofit's Guide to Hosting a Candidate Forum", "Nonprofits, Voting and Elections: A Guide for 501(c)(3)s on Voter Participation" and "A Voter Participation Starter Kit for Nonprofits and Social Service Agencies".

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