Written by Kimberley Carroll-Cox, Associate Director of Development and Communications
The nonprofit sector is no stranger to hard work.
Day in and day out, we support our communities through every crisis, every policy shift, and every underfunded program. But right now, we’re facing more than budget cuts or discouraging headlines. We’re responding in real time to direct threats to our work, to our communities, and to our ability to participate in democracy itself.
Critical services like SNAP, Medicaid, education programs, and immigration support are being politicized, rolled back, or removed entirely. These aren’t abstract issues; they directly affect the people at the heart of our community. All of them are shaped by policy. And as we know, policy is shaped by those who participate… and those who don’t. While we must address the immediate crisis facing our communities, we must also address the underlying participation gaps that distort our democracy.
So what can we do, especially when so many of us are stretched thin or aren’t in a position to lead right now?
According to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 73.6% of the citizen voting-age population, roughly 174 million Americans, were registered to vote ahead of the 2024 presidential election. This, however, means that even ahead of the most high-profile election in the country, nearly 1 in 4 eligible voters weren’t registered and never got the chance to cast a ballot. Including registered and unregistered voters, over 80 million eligible voters did not vote in the 2024 presidential elections.
We often hear that voter apathy is to blame, suggesting that Americans who don’t vote do so because they simply don’t care. However, as nonprofit staff and leaders, we know that’s not the whole story.
Nonvoters aren’t indifferent. They care deeply about policies that affect them and their communities, but are rather civically disconnected. Without a strong voting history, they are usually ignored by campaigns. And then there’s life. Many have moved and haven’t updated their registration. Some don’t know how to register or where to start. Others have never been invited to participate in the process. And far too many have been led to believe their vote won’t matter.
As nonprofits, we do more than provide services. We build trust. And we’re trusted in a way few institutions are. In fact, 57% of Americans report high levels of trust in nonprofits, more than any other sector, including small businesses, the military, government, or media (source: Independent Sector).
And when we use that trust to talk about voting, it works. Nonprofit VOTE’s own 2024 research shows that voters engaged by nonprofits were 10 percentage points more likely to vote than comparable voters, with even greater increases among young voters, voters of color, and low-income communities.
Those of us who can step up must do so for those who need to step back.
If your organization has the capacity, here’s how you can help:
- Hosting a voter registration table at your next event.
- Add a reminder about voter deadlines or ballot access to your newsletter.
- Share clear, trusted resources that help people understand how the issues they care about are reflected on the ballot.
- Sign up as a National Voter Registration Day Community Partner
If you’re not in a position to act directly right now, that’s okay too:
- Consider using your communications channels to amplify nonpartisan voter tools.
- Speak openly about why voting and community voice matter to your mission.
- Fund civic engagement efforts within your network, if possible.
Because voter engagement isn’t about partisanship, it’s about participation. It’s about ensuring that every person we serve has the opportunity to be heard and counted.
We don’t need to be experts. We just need to care and act.
Need tools, templates, or a simple way to get started? Visit nonprofitvote.org for everything you need to engage your community, no expertise required.
