Coalition Pushes to Restore EDR in Maine

In June, we reported that Maine repealed its long tradition of allowing voters to register and cast their ballot on Election Day.

Luckily, the story doesn't end there: a people's veto campaign is underway to restore Election Day Registration (EDR) to Maine. The movement is spearheaded by a collation of nonprofits, including the Maine Women's Lobby, Engage Maine, the Disability Rights Center, Maine Education Association, the Maine League of Young Voters, and others.

Last week, the Maine secretary of state approved the wording for the referendum question that could potentially appear on the ballot: "Do you want to reject the section of Chapter 399 of the Public Laws of 2011 that requires new voters to register to vote at least two business days prior to an election?"

Signature gathering kick-off events were held on Friday, and volunteers began their work over the weekend. They have less than a month to collect more than 57,000 signatures in order to put the issue on the November ballot. If they are unable to meet that deadline, they would still have the opportunity to put the question before voters in June 2012.

EDR has been popular in Maine, with close to 60,000 voters using it in November 2008, along with 18,000 voters in last year's midterm. By making voting more convenient, EDR helps to boost turnout--states with EDR have turnout rates that are 10-12% higher than states without it.

While many states are restricting access to the ballot with new voter ID laws and shortened early voting periods, it's exciting to see a well-organized, nonprofit-led movement taking a stand for voting rights.

Read our factsheet to learn more about what 501(c)(3) nonprofits can (and can't) do on ballot measures and join us later this month for a webinar on ballot questions.

Want to help? Maine voters can help preserve EDR by volunteering to collect signatures.

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July Webinar: How Nonprofits Can Work on Ballot Questions

In the spirit of American independence, join us for our July webinar on direct democracy.

Laws on the Ballot: How Nonprofits Can Take a Stand on Ballot Questions
Thursday July 28th, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern
Many states put laws and constitutional amendments on the ballot, asking voters to make critical public policy decisions at the polls. Often, nonprofits have a vested interest in the outcome because many ballot questions directly affect our organizations and communities. Learn how your nonprofit can take action and benefit from engaging the public around ballot measures. We will address why this is considered "lobbying," rather than "electioneering" and what nonprofits can do in their advocacy efforts for or against ballot measures.

Featured Presenters: Abby Levine is the Legal Director for Advocacy Programs at the Alliance for Justice. Prior to joining the Alliance, she was a Public Policy Analyst at the National Council of Nonprofit Associations (NCNA) where she monitored and analyzed issues affecting the nonprofit sector--such as challenges to nonprofit tax exemptions and advocacy, state budget cuts, streamlining government grants, and corporate governance. Stephanie Tama-Sweet co-chairs the Human Services Coalition of Oregon (HSCO), which advocates for the health and dignity of all Oregonians and has been involved with numerous ballot measures. She is also the Director of Government Relations for the American Heart Association in Oregon and previously served as a Public Policy Advocate at the Oregon Food Bank.

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South Sudan to Become World's Newest Nation

Tomorrow, South Sudan will officially become an independent nation, a day that also marks the expiration of the 2005 north-south peace deal.

The UN is expected to convene next week to vote on (and most likely approve) South Sudan's membership in the UN, making it the 193rd member country.

Back in January, almost 99% of Sudanese voters cast their ballots for independence. Almost 4 million people voted, putting turnout at 97.58 percent. 14,588 ballots were either blank or declared invalid (about 0.37% of the votes cast). The election came six years after the end of a civil war that lasted two decades, left millions dead, and traumatized millions more.

While the election itself was successfully administered, South Sudan must now face the challenge of delivering services to over 8 million people and building nationwide infrastructure in "one of the most underdeveloped countries on the planet," where only 15% of the population can read. There is also the prospect of renewed violent conflict, both with the north as well as internally. Although applauding the election, President Obama noted that, "there must be an end to attacks on civilians in Darfur and a definitive end to that conflict."

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Project Vote Files NVRA Suit in Georgia

One of the reasons we encourage nonprofits to register their clients and constituents to vote is because many states are not fully compliant with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), which requires public agencies to register voters.

Recently, successful lawsuits in both Ohio and Missouri forced compliance and caused the number of voters registering at public agencies to balloon. In Ohio in the first six months of 2010 more than 100,000 low-income residents registered to vote at public assistance offices. That number (17,000 applications per month) is almost a ten-fold increase in the number of registration applications collected at public assistance offices before the lawsuit (1,775 per month). In Colorado, officials brought the state into compliance without a lawsuit, and as a result public agency registrations increased from just over 3,300 in 2007 to nearly 44,000 in 2010.

However, last month Project Vote and other groups filed a lawsuit in Georgia to require the state to properly implement the NVRA. The Georgia secretary of state has acknowledged that they "did not have consistent NVRA policies," because when the law first took effect, they received more than 100,000 voter registration applications, but in 2010, the number of was just 4,430. Earlier this year Project Vote and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund filed a similar suit in Louisiana.

While many states are taking care to ensure that public agencies are reaching eligible voters (or being forced to), it is still not enough. Many of the individuals who use public assistance are underrepresented and underserved, and are less likely to participate in the political process. Nonprofits can help close this gap: in addition to voter registration, your organization can also educate voters, engage candidates, and conduct get-out-the-vote activities in an effort to cultivate a robust civil society. Learn more about how your nonprofit can ensure that your community is engaged and represented!

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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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EAC Releases Voter Registration Data

The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) recently made news when it came up on the House budget chopping block. (It survived.) In the meantime, the EAC has released a new report on voter registration statistics from after the 2008 general election through the 2010 midterm election. The report covers the number of registered voters, the registration process, and voter registration list maintenance.

Below are some of the report's findings, along with suggestions for nonprofits interested in voter registration:

• The number of registered voters declined from 2008, but increased by 14 million from the last midterm election. No matter what's on the ballot, nonprofits can encourage voters to register, to engage, and to vote--every election matters!
• More than 45 million voter registration applications were submitted, 14.4 million of which were from new voters. There are large numbers of eligible but unregistered voters, and the number grows everyday as youth turn 18 and new citizens are naturalized. Until registration is automatic, nonprofits can help ensure that eligible voters have the opportunity to register--make forms available at your organization, ask clients if they're registered, and hold a voter registration drive.
  
• Seventeen states reported receiving voter registration applications over the Internet, accounting for 2% of all registration forms. New technology makes it easier than ever to register to vote. If you're in one of the eight states (plus D.C.) that offer online voter registration, consider devoting an on-site computer to voter registration.
• 9.4% of registration applications (1.4 million applications) were invalid or duplicates of existing registrations. Your nonprofit can help clients check to see if they are registered; if not, help ensure that they fill out the form correctly, include all necessary information, and sign the completed application.
  

Read the full report and check out the data sets. While the EAC currently administers and maintains the national mail voter registration form, we hope that one day soon they (or someone) will also be responsible for overseeing a single national voter registration database. Until then, learn more about registering and voting in your state and order a "Register to Vote" poster in English or Spanish.

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Maine Bids Farewell to EDR

The state that pioneered Election Day Registration (EDR) has now passed legislation ending the practice. Yesterday Maine Governor Paul LePage signed a bill that ended the state's long tradition of EDR.

Supporters of the bill claim it will reduce fraud, however opponents point out that there has only been one case of fraud linked to the law in the almost four decades it was in place. Supporters of Election Day Registration are considering a people's veto campaign that would restore EDR in Maine.

The effect on turnout remains to be seen. But many suspect that Maine, who was first in voter turnout last year, will struggle to hold on to the top spot without EDR.

Maine is not alone in restricting or eliminating convenient voting options. This year, there have also been reductions in the number of early voting days in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

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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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In California, Redistricting Input Generates Results

Did you attend a local redistricting hearing to offer testimony about your community? If so, rest assured that it paid off. Last week California's Citizens Redistricting Commission released the first set of draft redistricting maps. Upon their release, Greenlining Institute Redistricting Fellow Michelle Romero noted "One thing that's clear is that when communities turned out to make their feelings known, it made a difference."

Unfortunately, so far communities of color have shown up in smaller numbers. Luckily, this is just the first set of maps, and the Commission will continue to hold community meetings across the state to gather input. If you considered attending one, but haven't yet, there's still time! Romero encouraged "Anyone who feels the draft maps don't treat their communities appropriately...to speak up now."

The Commission has already fielded comments from more than 1,500 people. "Our No. 1 priority at this point is to give every single person in California a political voice," said Chairman Gabino Aguirre, who receives hundreds of emails each day about the Commission's work. The Redistricting Commission has until August 15 to submit the final maps to the secretary of state for approval.

Luckily, it's not just Californians who get to participate. See what the redistricting process looks like in your state, and make sure to speak up because you can influence where the lines are drawn!


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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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Troublesome Trend in Florida

Earlier this month Nonprofit VOTE's partner, Rx Democracy! warned of the negative impact of Florida's proposed election legislation. Despite opposition from numerous groups, Governor Rick Scott signed HB 1355/S 2086 into law.

Florida in recent years had made great improvements to its election law that bolstered voter participation and turnout by making it easier for voters to cast their ballot. Unfortunately, provisions of the latest law repeal and reduce a number of these advances.

One of the most troubling changes is the new regulations on third-party voter registration which hamper the ability of nonprofits to conduct voter outreach. The law requires an organization to register with the state and provide the names of its officers and registered agent, as well as the name and address of every person who will be registering voters. The organization must also account for every voter registration form it receives from the supervisor of elections, whether completed or not. While groups used to have 10 days to return completed applications, they now have just 48 hours. Failure to do so results in a $50 late fee per form.

This provision is a major deterrent for nonprofits who would otherwise be able to use their relationships with clients and the community to register and engage eligible voters.

Additionally, the new law reduces the number of early in-person voting days from 14 to 8, severely impacting the low-income and younger populations--often served by nonprofit organizations--who benefit from the increased flexibility.

The League of Women Voters has come out strongly against the law and deemed it "an assault on voters" that "will make it harder for eligible Floridians to be engaged and active in their government." They also announced that they will no longer register voters in Florida because of the financial risk for volunteers.

The Department of Justice has already been asked to review the bill under the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and lawsuits from various groups have been filed.

Unfortunately, similar laws that would mandate voter ID, eliminate Election Day Registration, and limit voters' options are being considered (and passed) across the country. While proponents of such legislation argue that it is necessary to protect against voter fraud, Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning was forced to "acknowledge that there is little voter fraud in the state,"--a statement that rings true across the nation.

The new Florida law is part of a worrisome and often expensive trend that is adversely affecting low-income, minority, and mobile populations--the individuals most likely to be served by nonprofits. We should be focusing on how to encourage full participation among eligible voters, not finding ways to limit where, when, how, and who can vote.

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Combating Prison-Based Gerrymandering

Although some states have already finished the redistricting process, many are still hard at work.

Earlier this year, the Prison Policy Initiative released a new set of factsheets on prison-based gerrymandering. The factsheets highlight how the practice is disenfranchising minority voters nationwide, particularly African-Americans, Latinos, and American Indians.

Prison-based gerrymandering starts with where the Census counts prison populations. While some states require prisoners to be counted at their last know address, others are counted at their prison address, bolstering population in a district where they are (usually) not eligible to vote. Thus, the majority of a district's "residents" can be locked away, giving extra weight to the votes of those living there by choice, while simultaneously reducing the population and influence of prisoners' home districts.

Luckily, some states are beginning to tackle this problem. After voting to end the practice, the New York state legislature has stepped up to enforce the decision. The term "prison-based gerrymandering" was added to the state's 2011 redistricting glossary, one of the state Senate's stated goals is to end prison-based gerrymandering, and special consideration was given to how prisoners would be counted at their "homes of record."

Prison-based gerrymandering is also being addressed on a smaller scale. Earlier this year LaSalle Parish in Louisiana redistricted their local government and School Board, but only after deducting the number of prisoners in the parish's two prisons. LaSalle is one of over 100 local governments across the country that proactively address the issue of prison-based gerrymandering.

Is prison-based gerrymandering a problem in your community?

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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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Maryland City Considers Online Voting

Takoma Park, Maryland is considering allowing voters to cast their ballots online this November.

But before anything is decided, a system test will be conducted on June 9 where voters will be asked to pick their favorite Beatle and their favorite poet. For voters who are stressed about this difficult decision, rest assured that refreshments will be served. Here's how the system would work:

Voters would be mailed an envelope that contained, wait for it…more envelopes!

1. One (sealed) envelope would contain an absentee paper ballot.
2. The second unsealed outer envelope would be used to return the ballot to the city and would contain a third unsealed inner envelope.
3. The third inner envelope would have scratch-off codes that give the voter the option of casting their ballot online.

But if you want to return it by mail, that's okay too. All you have to do is put your "marked ballot in the inner envelope, which…will [be] put in the outer envelope and mail[ed] to the city"--the exact same absentee voting process used in the past.

Leaving aside the many inner and outer envelopes, would you prefer to cast your ballot online, mail it in, or vote in person?

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The Top 5 State Voter Information Websites

Earlier this week we talked about what states are (or aren't) doing to make voting information more accessible online. To that end, we have reviewed each state's voter information site and picked our favorites based on clarity, accessibility, and comprehensiveness.

The best sites let users register online, check their registration status, look up their polling place, see a sample ballot, and track their absentee ballot--all in one place! While very few have yet to offer all of these capabilities, a number of states have recently ramped up their online accessibility efforts. We're excited to see more states offering voting tools in a single, easy-to-use portal and encourage the rest to follow suit!

And now, without further ado, Nonprofit VOTE is pleased to present our Top 5 State Voter Information Websites:

1. Utah very recently came out with a fantastic new site (a welcome change from its confusing, limited predecessor). The site now features both personalized voter information and online registration.
2. Louisiana's site offers a single log-in platform with the ability to look up your registration status, find your polling place, track your absentee ballot, and find local election information. Voters in Louisiana can also register to vote online.
3. Pennsylvania provides all the basic voter information tools, but also includes an additional tool for people with specific voting needs--like college students and persons with disabilities.
4. Missouri's well-designed site provides individualized voter information as well as multimedia resources, like instructional videos on how to register to vote.
5. Texas provides comprehensive voter information, as well as specific information about upcoming elections.
   

Have you been to your state's site? Let us know what you think and how it compares!

This post was researched and written by Nonprofit VOTE's Spring 2011 intern, Hattie Huston.


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Nonprofit VOTE Shares Groundbreaking Research

During the 2010 midterm election, a first of its kind study assessed--and ultimately affirmed--the agency-based approach to increasing voter participation. Conducted with the support of Nonprofit VOTE and the Michigan Nonprofit Association, this new research demonstrates the effectiveness of nonprofit voter engagement efforts.

The study found that:

1. When a nonprofit talked to clients about voting, their likelihood of voting increased.
2. The likelihood of a client voting increased proportionally with each additional voting-related contact made by the nonprofit.
3. A nonprofit's outreach efforts went beyond the individual they engaged--clients contacted about voting were also more likely to encourage their friends and family to vote.
4. Among the types of voter assistance provided, registering new voters and offering voting reminders made the biggest difference in increasing voter turnout.
   

To learn more visit our research page and read the study factsheet. You can also watch our webinar "Nonprofits Increase Voter Participation: New Research from the Field," download the PowerPoint Presentation, and read the full report.

We encourage you to share the study factsheet with staff, stakeholders, and other nonprofits in your network to spread the word about what nonprofits can and should do to help increase voter participation rates.

If your nonprofit is already doing voter outreach, we hope this groundbreaking research reaffirms that the work you're doing makes a difference, particularly to your clients. And if you're a nonprofit looking to get started, visit our website for resources and information on how to voterize your nonprofit!

The study, conducted with seven nonprofits in the Detroit area, was led by Dr. Kelly LeRoux, an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. LeRoux’s research has been published in more than a dozen public and nonprofit management journals, and she is currently working on a book titled "Nonprofits and Voter Mobilization in the U.S."nonprofit!

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State Voter Information Pages: The Good, the Bad and the Outdated

We recently took stock of each state's official voter information page in an effort to find out what states are doing to increase voter participation. While every state site offers some information to voters, there are huge disparities in the content and quality of that information. Some sites offer conveniences like online voter registration and the ability to track your absentee ballot, while others have no online tools whatsoever.

Many states have created a voter information site independent of the official state government page. Sites like AlabamaVotes.gov, VoteNaturally.org (Arkansas), VoteKS.org, GeauxVote.com (Louisiana), Vote Missouri, VotesPA.com, SCvotes.org, VoTexas.org, and Vote.Utah.gov provide user-friendly information, including tools to check personal voting information. These dedicated voter information sites help increase accessibility, and allow voters to track important information throughout the voting process. For example, a voter in Utah can register to vote, check their registration, find their polling place, learn about upcoming elections, and request and track their absentee ballot--everything but cast an actual vote--through the state's voter portal.

A growing number of states also offer online voter registration, including Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. Having the option to register online is particularly crucial for an increasingly mobile and technology-dependent generation.

Unfortunately a few states are still struggling to integrate recent technology into their websites. For example, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Vermont, and Wyoming don't offer a portal for personalized voter information (like a voter registration search or polling place look-up tool). This is problematic because many voters depend on state websites, often because of the challenges they have in contacting their local election official simply to check their registration status or find their polling place. Making this personalized information available online increases transparency and can boost voter turnout. And best of all, voters can avoid unnecessary problems at the polls by finding out if there is an issue with their registration prior to Election Day.

Learn more about registering to vote and stay tuned as we share our Top 5 State Voter Information Websites later this week!

This post was researched and written by Nonprofit VOTE's Spring 2011 intern, Hattie Huston.

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Promote Voter Registration at Your Organization

Earlier this week we congratulated Michigan for taking advantage of naturalization ceremonies to register new citizens. It's the perfect example of how to effectively integrate voter registration into ongoing activities. By reaching out to clients while providing services (or during classes or events) nonprofits can register voters with equal success.

Nonprofit VOTE has numerous resources to help your nonprofit get started. Encourage your clients to register now and then to check their registration ahead of November. Visit our voter registration page to see how.

Residents of Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Washington D.C. can even register to vote online. Visit your state page to learn how. For more on voter registration:

• Check out our "Top 10 Reasons to Register and Vote"
  
• Download "A Nonprofit's Guide to Voter Registration" (also available in Spanish)
• Watch an archived webinar
  
• Order a "Register to Vote" poster in either Spanish or English

Good luck, and don't forget to let us know how it goes!

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Mobile Technology and Civic Engagement

A new report from The Hispanic Institute found that Hispanics are the leading users of mobile phones and social media in the U.S.

The study, "Connected Hispanics and Civic Engagement," highlights the three areas Hispanics have used technology to affect change--immigration, education, and voter registration.

Gus West of The Hispanic Institute said, "Latinos depend on mobile technology to engage with their fellow citizens – and the political process."

Almost nine out of every ten Hispanics owns a mobile phone, compared to just eight in ten non-Hispanic whites. 53% of Hispanics use mobile devices to access the internet, while only 33% of non-Hispanic whites do the same.

Technology is transforming the way that individuals connect with their communities and is effectively reducing information barriers for mobile populations. Nevertheless, nonprofits must continue to work with their clients and constituents to close turnout gaps and ensure full participation in elections.

Read the full report.

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Michigan Registers New Citizens

On May 11 in Dearborn, Michigan, the U.S. welcomed a new cohort of citizens into the American family. Representatives from the Secretary of State's office staffed an on-site voter registration table, allowing newly naturalized citizens to register following the ceremony.

Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson said "I encourage [Michigan's newest citizens] to take a few moments to register to vote so that they can exercise their right to vote and have their voice be heard at the ballot box."

Nonprofit VOTE and our partners have participated in organization-sponsored efforts to register new citizens following naturalization ceremonies, but it is particularly heartening to see Michigan's top election official proactively registering eligible voters after citizenship ceremonies!

These ceremonies are a natural venue for voter registration outreach because they gather together a group of newly eligible--but unregistered--citizens ripe for the registering. In addition to having volunteers or staff on-site to register voters, organizers should also include a voter registration form in the paperwork packet each new citizen receives so that no eligible voter is overlooked and everyone has the opportunity to participate.

Great job Michigan, we hope other states follow your lead on this!

(The photograph was taken during a September 2010 naturalization ceremony at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox.)

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