Get Out the Vote Tools for 2013

Currently, 44 states have voter registration lookup tools and 48 have polling place finders. Wouldn't it be great if this (and other) election information was available in one place? You're in luck, it is! Visit our 50 state map to:

• Find Your Poll
• Check Your Voter Registration
• Learn About Voter ID Requirements

You can also access other state-specific voting resources, including contact information for your local elections office, details for voters with special circumstances, and early voting opportunities.

November 5th is less than a month away. Although they may be registered, voters still need to know where to go and what to take with them. Help your community vote by being prepared to answer these and other questions. You can also help registered voters request an absentee ballot.

In many states it's not too late to register! Although National Voter Registration Month is over, many state registration deadlines have not yet passed. Depending on where you live, you might be able to register online or on Election Day itself. Learn more about voting in your state and ensure your community is prepared for the 2013 election cycle.

Minnesota Voters Can Now Register Online

Yesterday, the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State announced voters can now register to vote (or update their information) online and that military and overseas voters will be able to apply online for an absentee ballot at mnvotes.org.

The Secretary of State's office touted the online registration process as a way to "deliver convenience to voters, reduce errors in voter rosters, and deliver significant cost- and time-savings for local election officials." They estimate the time counties require to process an online application will be one-third to one-half of that needed to process a paper application. This will also minimize inaccurate records that stem from processing handwritten paper forms--like illegible handwriting, incomplete applications, and data entry errors.

For military and overseas voters, the online absentee ballot application will not replace paper applications, but will allow these voters the opportunity to forgo printing, scanning forms, and returning forms by mail, fax or email. In the 2012 general election, there were 10,506 absentee ballots successfully cast by military and overseas Minnesota voters.

Minnesota joins 18 other states that have either passed or implemented online registration. According to projections by the Pew Charitable Trusts at least half of the states will employ online registration by 2016.

In Minnesota, more than 35 municipalities will hold elections on November 5 for various city officers, and 113 school districts will hold elections for school board members and/or have ballot questions. Voters can register online until 5 p.m. on October 15, but it is not required, as voters may still register at their polling place on Election Day.

It's National Voter Registration Day!

Today is National Voter Registration Day! This second annual holiday for democracy will bring together hundreds of organizations across the country as we register our communities to vote. Participate in the celebration by:

• Joining the conversation. Celebrate NVRD by promoting voter registration--send emails to colleagues, tweet with #CelebrateNVRD, and encourage others to spread the word and register. 
• Canvassing your office. Help ensure eligible coworkers are registered and that their information is current. 
• Registering to vote or updating your registration. Have you moved recently? Update your information. 

Whatever you do, use September 24th to help all eligible citizens register and prepare to vote!

Integrating Voter Registration into the Enrollment Process

By Dana Lawrence, Director of Communications and Grassroots Advocacy at the Michigan Primary Care Association. A version of this post appeared on their website.

Last week a group of folks from Michigan Health Centers and other nonprofit organizations came together for a training presented by Michigan Primary Care Association in collaboration with Nonprofit VOTE, Michigan Nonprofit Association, Michigan Voice, and the National Association of Community Health Centers on how to integrate voter registration assistance into the health insurance enrollment process. With just two weeks until open enrollment begins for plans in the Health Insurance Marketplace, enrollment staff are gearing up to provide quality assistance to Health Center patients and other community members.

Asking someone if they would like to register to vote while they are enrolling for health insurance is actually a natural fit. The question of whether an individual would like to register to vote is on the Marketplace application, as well as in Michigan's online application for public assistance programs offered through the Department of Human Services.

"In addition to helping patients apply for health insurance, another service we think is important for Health Centers to provide is helping individuals register to vote or update their voter registration," said Natasha Robinson, Program Specialist, Outreach, Enrollment & Education, Michigan Primary Care Association. "An individual's vote matters to their health care and their Health Center, and assisting them through the voter registration application takes just a few minutes but offers tremendous, lifelong benefits."

By integrating voter registration assistance into the enrollment process, Health Centers will reach individuals who might otherwise not register to vote. When registered to vote, individuals are empowered to make their voices heard, and they realize that their vote can make a difference. Plus, studies show registered voters are more likely to be civically engaged. People who vote have a powerful impact on public policy and government, and influence laws and budgeting.

The nonprofit sector, which includes Health Centers, serves underrepresented and underserved populations with a history of lower voter participation, and wide gaps in who votes undermines democracy and nonprofit missions and goals. A new report recently released by Nonprofit VOTE, Can Nonprofits Increase Voting, demonstrates that nonprofits have the ability to close voter turnout gaps. For example, constituents engaged by nonprofits to register to vote in the 2012 election were markedly more diverse and lower income, yet the voter turnout among those contacted by nonprofits was 74%, six points above the 68% turnout rate for all registered voters.

Long story short, the upcoming implementation of the Affordable Care Act – beginning with the launch of open enrollment on October 1, 2013 – will bring millions of Americans into Health Centers and other social service agencies across the country. This offers Health Centers a unique opportunity to give their clients the option of registering to vote or updating their voter registration if they've moved or had a name change. Many Health Centers and other agencies already offer ongoing nonpartisan voter registration assistance as part of their Medicaid and WIC application and renewal processes to comply with the National Voter Registration Act. Health Centers now have a chance to offer the same voter registration assistance to significantly more people.

Webinar Materials: Voter Registration for Nonprofits

Yesterday's webinar, Ready, Set, Register: Voter Registration for Nonprofits, is now available. Many thanks to Rebecca Gorrell from the Colorado Participation Project for joining us for this discussion.

Watch the presentation on YouTube. If you subscribe to our channel, you'll be notified whenever new content is posted. You can also download the PowerPoint presentation and the audio portion of the presentation, or browse all of our nonpartisan resources on voter registration to learn more.

Don't forget that it's National Voter Registration Month and that Tuesday September 24th is National Voter Registration Day. Visit the NVRD website to find events, view communications samples, and more.

Tomorrow: Voter Registration for Nonprofits

To help your community vote, you must first ensure that they are registered. There's still time to register for tomorrow's webinar:
 
Ready, Set, Register: Voter Registration for Nonprofits
Thursday September 12th, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern

Voter registration is a foundational voter engagement activity. Join us to learn how your nonprofit can integrate voter registration into the work you already do. We'll discuss nonpartisan dos and don'ts, different state requirements, registration tactics, and more. We'll also cover National Voter Registration Day, coming up on September 24th.

Featured Presenter: Rebecca Gorrell is the Deputy Director of the Colorado Participation Project. She has 12 years of nonprofit management, development, and volunteer experience at organizations throughout Colorado. She has also been involved in diverse campaign and electoral efforts in Denver as a poll worker, poll watcher, and canvasser.

Next Week: Voter Registration for Nonprofits

To help your community vote, you must first ensure that they are registered. Learn more about during our next webinar:
 
Ready, Set, Register: Voter Registration for Nonprofits
Thursday September 12th, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern

Voter registration is a foundational voter engagement activity. Join us to learn how your nonprofit can integrate voter registration into the work you already do. We'll discuss nonpartisan dos and don'ts, different state requirements, registration tactics, and more. We'll also cover National Voter Registration Day, coming up on September 24th.

Featured Presenter: Rebecca Gorrell is the Deputy Director of the Colorado Participation Project. She has 12 years of nonprofit management, development, and volunteer experience at organizations throughout Colorado. She has also been involved in diverse campaign and electoral efforts in Denver as a poll worker, poll watcher, and canvasser.

Webinar Recap: Health Insurance Enrollment and Voter Registration

Yesterday's webinar, Health Insurance Enrollment and Voter Registration for Health Centers and Other Nonprofits, is now available. Many thanks to Robert Brandon of the Fair Elections Legal Network and Marc Wetherhorn of the National Association of Community Health Centers for joining us for this discussion.

Watch the presentation on YouTube. If you subscribe to our channel, you'll be notified whenever new content is posted. You can also download the PowerPoint presentation and the audio portion of the presentation, or browse all of our nonpartisan resources on voter registration to learn more.

Health Insurance Enrollment and Voter Registration

What does voter registration have to do with ACA enrollment? Find out during our next webinar:
 
Health Insurance Enrollment and Voter Registration for Health Centers and Other Nonprofits
Wednesday August 21st, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern

Starting October 1st millions of Americans will become eligible to enroll in Medicaid or a health exchange health insurance plan under the new Affordable Care Act. Join us to learn how requirements under the National Voter Registration Act will effect health centers and other nonprofit agencies involved in ACA enrollment. We'll cover how-tos and tips for conducting voter registration during enrollment and describe the support, materials, and other resources available to organizations like yours.

Featured Presenters: Robert M. Brandon, President and Co-Founder of the Fair Elections Legal Network, is a public interest attorney with more than 30 years of public policy, legal, legislative, media, and campaign experience at the federal, state, and local levels. He is also President of Robert M. Brandon and Associates, a public affairs firm that works to advance public interest and grassroots goals. Marc Wetherhorn is the Senior Director of Advocacy and Civic Engagement at the National Association of Community Health Centers where he directs their national grassroots campaign efforts. He provides training and technical assistance to primary care associations and health centers on grassroots strategy and state-based policy issues.

Can Nonprofits Increase Voter Turnout? Yes.

A new study by Nonprofit VOTE found that turnout among voters contacted by nonprofits during the 2012 election was 74%, six points above the 68% turnout rate for all registered voters.

The clients engaged by nonprofits were markedly more diverse, lower income, and younger than the general population of registered voters. Though these demographic groups are known to turn out at lower rates than their peers, nonprofits were successfully able to narrow traditional voting gaps based on age, race, ethnicity, and household income.

To assess the impact nonprofits have on turnout, Nonprofit VOTE enlisted 94 nonprofit service providers in seven states to track their voter contacts for evaluation purposes. These organizations reached 33,741 clients who registered or signed a pledge to vote. The results are available in a new report, Can Nonprofits Increase Voting Among Their Clients, Constituents, and Staff? An Evaluation of the Track the Vote Program.

"The findings and demographic information from this study underscore the potential of local nonprofits to reach people missed by campaigns and who are not expected to vote," said Michael Weekes, President of the Providers' Council and Nonprofit VOTE Chair.

In the study, the nonprofits had their biggest participation impact among groups underrepresented in the electoral process. The turnout rate of voters contacted by nonprofits compared to all registered voters was:

• 18 points higher for Latino voters (72% vs. 54%), 
• 15 points higher for voters under the age of 30 (68% vs. 53%), and 
• 15 points higher for voters with household incomes under $25,000 (68% vs. 53%). 

"Political participation is highly unequal in the United States, and efforts to engage the lowest-income Americans are scattered," says Peter Levine, Executive Director of CIRCLE, the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. "One highly promising strategy is to integrate nonpartisan voter registration and outreach into the activities of nonprofits that serve the poorest Americans. The new report from Nonprofit VOTE shows that this approach worked in 2012 and should be strengthened for 2014 and beyond."

Download the Executive Summary and the full report to review the findings. 

National Voter Registration Day Webinar Materials

Yesterday's webinar, National Voter Registration Day is September 24th, is now available. Many thanks to Emily Alsleben of the Bus Federation and Maggie Duncan from the League of Women Voters for joining us to discuss this exciting event.

Watch the presentation on YouTube. If you subscribe to our channel, you'll be notified whenever new content is posted. You can also download the PowerPoint presentation and the audio portion of the presentation, or visit www.nationalvoterregistrationday.org to learn more.

National Voter Registration Day Webinar

Are you ready for National Voter Registration Day? Learn more during our next webinar:
 
National Voter Registration Day is September 24th
Thursday August 1st, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern

On September 24, 2013, volunteers, celebrities, and organizations from all over the country will "hit the streets" for the second annual National Voter Registration Day. This single day of coordinated volunteer, technology, and media efforts will create widespread awareness of voter registration opportunities--allowing us to reach tens of thousands of voters who would not be otherwise contacted. Join us to learn how your nonprofit can get involved, host your own voter registration event, and more.

Featured Presenters: Emily Alsleben is the National Programs Manager at the Bus Federation, where she manages the field operations of National Voter Registration Day. She also leads their national Trick or Vote efforts. Maggie Duncan serves as Elections Program Manager for the League of Women Voters of the United States and has more than a decade of political advocacy and strategic communications experience. She currently manages the League’s nationwide voter registration programs and leads their national campaign to promote a transparent and fair redistricting process.

The Affordable Care Act and Voter Registration

On the 20th anniversary of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), which requires departments of motor vehicles and agencies providing public assistance to offer voter registration, the Affordable Care Act provides another great opportunity to reach Americans about registering to vote.

An estimated 68 million people will be enrolling in the new health exchanges--16 million in 2014 alone. Like getting a driver's license or signing up for public assistance, people enrolling will be asked if they want to register to vote. The Department of Health and Human Services has included a question about registering to vote in the current version of the enrollment form. A new Demos report notes, "Because subsidized health insurance under the ACA – 'Insurance Affordability Programs' – constitutes public assistance, the NVRA’s requirement for providing voter registration services applies."

Health centers and nonprofits will be on the front lines of enrollment. Nonprofit VOTE is working with the National Association of Community Health Centers and other partners to create trainings and resources to help nonprofits take advantage of this historic opportunity. Through this new avenue, millions of Americans can be included in the political process.

For more, read the Demos report Building a Healthy Democracy: Registering 68 Million People to Vote through Health Benefit Exchanges.

Webinar Recap: Voter Registration Modernization

Yesterday's webinar, Voter Registration Modernization, is now available. Many thanks to Myrna Pérez from the Brennan Center for Justice for joining us to share her expertise.

Watch the presentation on YouTube. If you subscribe to our channel, you'll be notified whenever new content is posted. You can also download the PowerPoint presentation and the audio portion of the presentation, or browse all of our nonpartisan resources on voter registration.

In addition to voter registration, candidate engagement is an effective way nonprofits can advocate for and engage their communities. Register now for our June 27th webinar, Candidate Engagement; Forums, Appearances and More, featuring MassVOTE's Cheryl Crawford.

Order a Free "Register to Vote" Poster

Nonprofit VOTE's popular "Register to Vote" poster is back, and available in both Spanish and English. Whether you're gearing up for a state election or just want to make voting more visible at your organization, this poster is the perfect tool. 

Voter registration is one way that your organization can encourage year round voter participation. The poster has space to add customized information like a registration deadline or instructions on how to register at your organization or another site. Display it prominently as a visible reminder for your clients, staff, and volunteers to get registered! 

Learn about simple and effective ways to conduct voter registration by browsing all of our nonpartisan voter registration resources. Order a poster today and engage voters at your nonprofit!:

Thursday: Voter Registration Modernization Webinar

There's still time to register for Thursday's webinar--don't miss out!
 
Voter Registration Modernization
Thursday May 16th, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern

Over the last few years, a number of states have enacted laws and policies to update their voter registration systems--including innovations like online registration, Election Day Registration, and portable registration. This move toward voter registration modernization, supported by both voters and elections officials, has gained momentum and a number of states have already proposed new legislation in 2013. Join us for a review of voter registration updates and other important voter registration reforms. 

Featured Presenter: Myrna Pérez, Senior Counsel, Brennan Center for Justice. Ms. Pérez works on a variety of voting rights related issues, including redistricting, voter registration list maintenance, and access to the ballot box. Prior to joining the Brennan Center, Ms. Pérez was the Civil Rights Fellow at Relman & Dane, a civil rights law firm in Washington, D.C. Ms. Pérez graduated from Columbia Law School in 2003, where she was a Lowenstein Public Interest Fellow. Following law school, Ms. Pérez clerked for the Honorable Anita B. Brody of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and for the Honorable Julio M. Fuentes of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

May 16th Webinar: Voter Registration Modernization

In every state except North Dakota, voters must be registered before they can cast a ballot. Join us for a discussion about ways to update voter registration systems that make it easier for election offices to maintain lists and for voters to keep their information up to date:

Voter Registration Modernization
Thursday May 16th, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern

Over the last few years, a number of states have enacted laws and policies to update their voter registration systems--including innovations like online registration, Election Day Registration, and portable registration. This move toward voter registration modernization, supported by both voters and elections officials, has gained momentum and a number of states have already proposed new legislation in 2013. Join us for a review of voter registration updates and other important voter registration reforms. 

Featured Presenter: Myrna Pérez, Senior Counsel, Brennan Center for Justice. Ms. Pérez works on a variety of voting rights related issues, including redistricting, voter registration list maintenance, and access to the ballot box. Prior to joining the Brennan Center, Ms. Pérez was the Civil Rights Fellow at Relman & Dane, a civil rights law firm in Washington, D.C. Ms. Pérez graduated from Columbia Law School in 2003, where she was a Lowenstein Public Interest Fellow. Following law school, Ms. Pérez clerked for the Honorable Anita B. Brody of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and for the Honorable Julio M. Fuentes of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Expanding Access to Voting in 2013

See an enlarged map at: http://www.brennancenter.org/sites/default/files/analysis/images/2013_expansive_map.png

The Brennan Center has been tracking and analyzing the efforts of states to increase registration opportunities, expand early voting, and modernize election systems.

They reviewed the nearly 200 bills to expand voting access that were introduced in 45 states in 2013. Most have failed while a few have passed--like those in New Mexico to automate voter registration at DMV offices, in Oklahoma to make existing photo ID laws less restrictive, and in Virginia to allow online voter registration. 

41 bills in 21 states are currently active, meaning there has been some form of activity, such as a hearing or vote, including:

• Colorado: Last week the state House passed the Voter Access and Modernized Elections Act, which would allow Election Day registration, create portable registration, and establish a modernized elections commission. 
• Nevada: A legislative committee passed SB 375, which would digitize voter registration at state agencies, expand online registration, and permit pre-registration by 16 and 17-year-olds. 
• Florida: The state House voted 118-1 to reinstate the early voting days that had been eliminated before the 2012 election. The bill is currently under consideration in the Senate. 

Perhaps most importantly, the Brennan Center notes that many of these bills are drawing bipartisan support: In Colorado, Democrats in the legislature worked with the mostly-Republican Colorado County Clerks Association to draft a modernization bill; Republicans introduced an online registration bill in Pennsylvania and passed it in Virginia, and; New Mexico's new law received broad bipartisan support and was signed by a Republican governor.

Through these and other election reforms we can help ensure that all eligible Americans can register and cast a ballot. Learn more about expanding access to voting in our next webinar on Voter Registration Modernization on May 16th.

This Thursday: Voter Turnout in the 2012 Election

There's still time to register for Thursday's webinar on the 2012 election:

Voter Turnout in the 2012 Election
Thursday April 18th, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern

With elections now certified in all 50 states, Nonprofit VOTE has released America Goes to the Polls 2012, the latest in a series of reports on national turnout and voting trends. In this webinar we will share some of the report's most interesting findings, including state-by-state voter turnout rankings and factors affecting turnout, such as Election Day Registration and swing state status. We will also examine key voting trends among populations served by nonprofits, as well as proposals to expand voter registration and the opportunity to vote.

Voting Trends: Online Registration

In 2008 only two states allowed voters to register online. By the 2012 election 13 states had online registration systems up and running. Currently, at least 14 additional states are considering legislation that would allow online registration.

Online registration helps boost registration rates among young voters. Since Arizona pioneered online registration in 2002, the registration rate for 18-24 year olds has risen from 28% to 53%. Today, over 70% of Arizona's registrations are submitted online. In 2012, five states rolled out online voter registration statewide for the first time:

• In California, during the five weeks leading up to the registration deadline, more than one million voters submitted online registration applications or updates. More than 60% of users were under the age of 35. 
• In Ohio, previously registered voters were allowed to update their registration information online and more than 100,000 individuals did so in the two months before the registration deadline--one-third in the week prior to the deadline and 13,000 alone on the day before registration closed. 
•  In Oregon, which has allowed online registration since 2010, nearly 20,000 voters registered online on the state's deadline. 

Not only is online registration convenient for voters, but it also benefits election officials. In Arizona, the costs associated with an online registration are just $0.03 compared to $0.83 for a paper registration. Online registration also reduces data entry errors and can lead to more accurate voter rolls, streamlining the Election Day experience for both voters and election officials.