Since the birth of this country, voting has been a key feature of a representational democracy meant to give the citizenry access to the inner-workings of the government. And while the right to vote was included in America’s foundational document – the United States Constitution ratified in 1789 – exactly WHO could vote was not read more
Due to the unique evolution of democracy in the United States, elections are still largely administered by the states. While the rules vary, most states require you to register to vote prior to casting a ballot on Election Day, in some cases as much as 30 days in advance. So when do you need to read more
Webinar Rundown: Nonprofit Votes Count Last Thursday we held a webinar on Nonprofit Votes Count, a campaign headed by Nonprofit VOTE, United Way Worldwide, Independent Sector, and National Council of Nonprofits that focuses on the capacity of the nonprofit sector to do voter engagement work! If you missed the webinar, you can now watch the recording on read more
Webinar Rundown: Voter Registration at Community Health Centers Last Thursday, Nonprofit VOTE held a webinar for community health centers interested in conducting voter registration in the lead up to the presidential election. We were fortunate to be joined by three excellent speakers on the topic: Andrea Abel of Texas Association of Community Health Centers, Allan read more
This evening, Nonprofit VOTE released a new report that examines the impact nonprofits have when they engage the communities they serve in voting and elections. Engaging New Voters: The Impact of Nonprofit Voter Outreach on Client and Community Turnout is based on an analysis of 129 nonprofits that did voter engagement work across nine states read more
Among the most foundational rights as a citizen is the right to vote. It’s also one of a citizen’s most important responsibilities along with serving on a jury when called and paying ones taxes. This right is compromised by an outdated, still largely paper registration system that differs in all 50 states. One in four read more
On Saturday Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 1461 (along with 13 other voting and election bills), making California the second state to adopt automatic voter registration. Oregon did so earlier this year. In Oregon, an estimated 300,000 voters could be added to the rolls with automatic registration. In California, the Secretary of State’s office reports read more
This post is adapted from a September 8, 2015 article by Melissa Barwick, State Policy Associate at the National Council of Nonprofits’ website. How does voter engagement really align with a nonprofit’s mission? That’s a question many nonprofit professionals have probably asked themselves in the weeks since the launch of Nonprofit Votes Count, the nonpartisan read more
Last week Pennsylvania became the latest state to implement online voter registration. Twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia currently offer online registration or have enacted legislation to permit it. Online registration has seen incredible growth in recent years because it is convenient for voters, reduces data entry errors, and cuts election administration costs. Pennsylvania’s read more
Last week, Nonprofit VOTE, Independent Sector, National Council of Nonprofits, and United Way Worldwide launched a campaign to encourage nonprofit staff, board members and other volunteers to get registered and to vote. “Voter registration is the first step in making our voices heard as citizens,” said Geoff Plague, Vice President of Public Policy for Independent read more
Nonprofit VOTE has joined with Independent Sector, National Council of Nonprofits and United Way Worldwide in a campaign to encourage nonprofit staff, board members and other volunteers to get registered and to vote. Called Nonprofit Votes Count, the campaign makes available a wealth of resources that make it easy for nonprofits like yours to ensure read more
HIPAA is the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and one of its primary goals is to protect the confidentiality and security of healthcare information. Protecting patient information is paramount for health centers, but complying with HIPAA does not prevent them from successfully conducting voter outreach with patients. What are the HIPAA read more
Yesterday, Vermont became the 14th state to pass Election Day Registration (the 15th jurisdiction, including the District of Columbia). The new law will take effect January 1, 2017. That means that for the 2016 presidential election (and all local elections before then) voters will need to register by the Wednesday before Election Day. Vermont joins read more
This week, the Vermont House passed a bill that will allow voters to register to vote at a polling place on Election Day. Under the current law, the registration deadline is the Wednesday before the election. The House made a few changes to the original Senate bill text, which the Senate concurred with on Thursday. read more
Earlier this year, we reported on a bill in Oregon that would actively register eligible citizens, creating one of the most complete voting lists in the country. Last week, Oregon’s legislature passed that voter registration bill (HB 2177), paving the way to adding hundreds of thousands of citizens to the voting rolls by shifting the read more
Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown is proposing a bill that would add an estimated 300,000 voters to the state’s registry and eventually create one of the most complete voter rolls in the country. Under the law, eligible voters would be registered automatically by the state using records the DMV has on file. There would read more
Last year, 24 states elected their top elections official. Swearing ins have begun in earnest, and many new secretaries of state have already outlined their plans for improving elections. In California, Secretary Alex Padilla is asking for input on how to #BoostTheVote and increase voter participation, noting that “the best ideas often come from citizens read more
This summer Illinois instituted a number of election law changes, but just for the November 4, 2014 election. The legislation: Expanded the number of days and extended the hours for early voting; Removed the requirement that people voting early show a photo ID; Allowed students attending Illinois public universities to shift their residences from their read more
Nonprofit VOTE helps 501(c)(3) nonprofits incorporate nonpartisan election activities into their services and activities. There is a wide variety of permissible activities nonprofits can do and we offer a range of resources to help your organization, whether you’re getting started for the first time or want to try out more complex candidate engagement work. But read more
On Tuesday, Ohio State Senator Frank LaRose introduced legislation (SB 370) to designate the fourth Tuesday of September as “Voter Registration Awareness Day.” In an interview, LaRose said he got the idea from a group of black religious leaders from Cleveland and noted that a number of civic groups already recognize the fourth Tuesday of read more
Yesterday, the Illinois State Board of Elections announced that 31,000 online voter registration applications were received by the regular registration deadline. Of those applications, more than one-third (11,071) were received in the final 2 days before the deadline. Online voter registration began on June 27, 2014. Although the regular registration period is closed in Illinois, read more
Yesterday’s webinar, Expanding the Right to Vote in 2014, is now available. Many thanks to Jonathan Brater of the Brennan Center for presenting. Watch the presentation on YouTube. If you subscribe to our channel, you’ll be notified whenever new content is posted. You can also download a PDF of the PowerPoint presentation and the audio read more
Over 2,000 partners have signed on to participate in National Voter Registration Day. Many are nonprofit service providers, whose approach to voter engagement and messaging around registration often differs from other organizations. Nonprofit VOTE has developed a few communications samples to help nonprofits talk about their participation in this exciting event. Social Media Samples We’re read more
Nonprofit VOTE is pleased to share our latest voter registration resource for nonprofits. This new video walks you through the process of asking a potential voter to register, as well as how to fill out a registration form. It features two scenarios, one for registering a new voter and another for updating an address. Offering read more
Yesterday’s webinar, Voter Registration at Your Nonprofit, is now available. Many thanks to Rebecca Gorrell of the Colorado Participation Project for presenting. Watch the presentation on YouTube. If you subscribe to our channel, you’ll be notified whenever new content is posted. You can also download a PDF of the PowerPoint presentation and the audio portion read more
Earlier this summer, CIRCLE released a new factsheet on Voter Registration among Young People in Midterm Elections, summarizing historical trends and analysis about why and how young people (ages 18-29) register to vote, and why they do not. Similar to older age groups, youth voter turnout and registration rates during midterm years are far lower read more
November 4th is less than 3 months away. August and September are important times to focus on voter registration ahead of many state deadlines. One easy way encourage voter registration is to take advantage of Nonprofit VOTE’s voter registration tool. Install it as a button on your website or link to the tool directly. The read more
Want to register voters in your community but aren’t sure about the rules or what tactics to use? Join our upcoming webinar: Voter Registration at Your Nonprofit Thursday August 21st at 2:00pm ET Voter registration is a foundational voter engagement activity. Learn how your nonprofit can integrate voter registration into the work you already do. read more
As of yesterday, more than 1,000 partners have signed on to host voter registration events across the country on National Voter Registration Day, which falls on Tuesday, September 23rd. National Voter Registration Day (NVRD) is the largest single-day effort of the year to register voters and involve them in the American political process. Now in read more
At their summer meeting, the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) unanimously passed a 5 year resolution – the longest their bylaws allow – in support of National Voter Registration Day (NVRD). In its first two years, more than 1,000 organizations and 10,000 volunteers registered more than 357,000 people to vote on NVRD. NASS read more
Kansas voters are headed to the polls today, but thousands of people who registered to vote will be unable to participate because of a proof-of-citizenship law. The federal registration form requires that a person attest to being a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury, but does not require accompanying documentation. However, Kansas’ proof-of-citizenship law requires read more
Want to participate in National Voter Registration Day but aren’t sure where to start? Join our upcoming webinar: Celebrate National Voter Registration Day Thursday August 7th at 2:00pm Eastern On September 23, 2014, volunteers and organizations from all over the country will celebrate the third annual National Voter Registration Day. In its first two years, read more
In every state except North Dakota, you must first register before being able to vote. Thus, voter registration is critical to the voter engagement efforts of nonprofits. While some states allow same-day registration (the ability to register or update your registration information and then cast a ballot), most have advance registration deadlines that are sometimes read more
Through their Current Population Survey (Voting and Registration), the Census Bureau surveyed Americans who were registered but did not vote in the 2012 presidential election. The top reasons for not voting were: Too busy, conflicting work or school schedules: 20 percent Not interested, felt like my vote wouldn’t make a difference: 16 percent Illness or read more
In 2013, the Bipartisan Policy Center created a Commission on Political Reform to investigate the causes and consequences of America’s partisan political divide and to advocate for specific reforms to improve the political process. Their new report, Governing in a Polarized America: A Bipartisan Blueprint to Strengthen our Democracy, identifies reforms in three specific areas: read more
Of the 23.3 million voting-eligible Latino adult U.S. citizens, only an estimated 13.7 million are registered to vote. To better understand the nearly 10 million unregistered potential Latino voters, NALEO Educational Fund engaged the research firm Latino Decisions to conduct a national survey and series of focus groups to uncover the reasons that voting-eligible, unregistered, read more
Hawaii looks to be the latest state to permit Election Day Registration. On April 29, the Hawaii legislature passed HB 2590, which has been transmitted to Governor Abercrombie for his signature. If implemented, Election Day Registration at precincts will not be available until 2018. However, for the 2016 election individuals will be able to register read more
Yesterday’s webinar, Voter Registration at Your Nonprofit, is now available. Many thanks to Jeff Narabrook from the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State for joining us. 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 read more
Earlier this month, Pew Charitable Trusts released new data for their Elections Performance Index (EPI), an online tool that provides a comprehensive assessment of election administration in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Originally unveiled in 2012, the revised interactive adds data from the 2012 elections and makes it possible for the first read more
As of last week, Connecticut’s online voter registration website is live. Online registration is just one of Connecticut’s election modernization efforts authorized by 2012 legislation. Election Day Registration was recently implemented in Connecticut’s 2013 municipal elections. Currently 19 states allow for full online registration and another 6 allow for limited online registration. Visit our 50 read more
Community Health Vote is a project to support the nation’s 1,200 community health centers in establishing nonpartisan voter registration as one of the services they provide to their patients and communities on an ongoing basis. Its new website hosts an array of state-specific registration materials, including a community health center toolkit. Like other 501(c)(3) nonprofits, read more
Last month, the Presidential Commission on Election Administration released a report with recommendations to improve the voting experience. The report comes after a six month examination that included public hearings and consultations with state and local election officials, academic experts, and organizations and associations involved in voting or election administration. The Commission’s key recommendations call read more
It’s National Voter Registration Day in the UK! Why February 5th? It’s the anniversary of the Reform Act of 1832 that first introduced voter registration to England and Wales. The UK’s inaugural National Voter Registration Day is being organized by Bite The Ballot to encourage more young people to cast their vote in general elections. read more
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 read more
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 read more
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 read more
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 read more
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 read more
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 EasternVoter registration is a foundational voter engagement activity. Join us to learn how your nonprofit can integrate voter registration into the work you already read more
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 EasternVoter registration is a foundational voter engagement activity. Join us to learn how your nonprofit can integrate voter registration into the work you already do. read more
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 read more
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 EasternStarting October 1st millions of Americans will become eligible to enroll in Medicaid or a health exchange health insurance plan under the new Affordable read more
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 read more
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 read more
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 EasternOn 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, read more
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 read more
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 read more
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. read more
There’s still time to register for Thursday’s webinar–don’t miss out! Voter Registration Modernization Thursday May 16th, 2:00-3:00pm EasternOver 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 read more
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 EasternOver read more
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 read more
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 read more
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 read more
Looking for interesting facts about the 2012 election and turnout? Join our next webinar: 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 read more
Yesterday’s webinar, Being Nonpartisan: 501(c)(3) Guidelines for Nonprofits Doing Voter Engagement, is now available. It describes how nonprofits can engage their communities through nonpartisan voter registration, voter education, and get-out-the-vote efforts. 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 read more
There’s still time to register for this week’s webinar on how nonprofits can conduct nonpartisan voter engagement work! Being Nonpartisan: 501(c)(3) Guidelines for Nonprofits Doing Voter Engagement Thursday March 21st, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern Unsure what it means to be nonpartisan when engaging voters and connecting to candidates around elections? Join our next training when we’ll review read more
This year, Nonprofit VOTE undertook a first-of-its-kind collaboration to assess the capacity of service providers to promote voting and their impact in doing so. Working with seven partners in nine states, we tracked the voter engagement activities of 87 local service providers who each agreed to register or collect voter pledges from 250 or more read more
As the year comes to an end, we want to recognize the work of our many state and national partners, along with the local nonprofits who made an impact on voter turnout by registering and educating their communities. In 2012, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) had 175 members that conducted voter registration read more
In Wisconsin, one in eight ballots–almost a million votes in all–came from voters who registered on Election Day just before voting in three recent statewide elections–November 2008, November 2010, and the June 2012 gubernatorial recall. The popularity of the law in Wisconsin has remained relatively steady in general elections since 1984, ranging from a rate read more
Communities frequently served by nonprofits made impressive gains in the electorate this year. However, there are still a number of electoral improvements that can be made. Shorter Lines, More Early In-Person Voting A curtailed in-person early voting period in Florida led to 7 hour lines, discouraged voters, and an overwhelmed system. On Election Day, voters read more
With early voting underway in 35 states, the 2012 presidential election is officially underway! While the current majority of early voting is taking place via absentee ballot, seven states already have in-person polling stations up and running. With just weeks to go before November 6th, it’s critical that nonprofits keep this election in the spotlight. read more
Image Source: AIGA GOTV Gallery Designer: Anthony Anaya It’s National Homeless and Low-Income Voter Registration Week, an event sponsored by the The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) during each presidential election since 1992. NCH is a national network of people who are currently experiencing or who have experienced homelessness, activists and advocates, community-based and read more
Yesterday was National Voter Registration Day–the highlight of National Voter Registration Month–but that’s not the end of the story. National Voter Registration Day is part of a larger movement within the nonprofit sector, recognizing the many benefits of voting. Registered voters are six times more likely to contact or visit a public official and three read more
It’s September 25th and thousands of nonprofits across the country are registering their communities to vote! Today is the highlight of National Voter Registration Month. Ask everyone on your staff or visiting your nonprofit if they’re registered to vote or if their voter registration is up-to-date. Even if you aren’t actively registering voters, you can read more
September 25th is almost here and there’s plenty you can do to ensure your community is registered and ready to vote! On November 6th, 90% of registered voters will vote, compared to 0% of unregistered voters. Yesterday’s webinar, National Voter Registration Day: Get Involved, is now available. Watch the presentation on YouTube, download the PowerPoint read more
In collaboration with the Heroes Vote Initiative, Nonprofit VOTE is pleased to announce that September 15, 2012 is National Military Voter Readiness Day. The goal of Military Voter Readiness Day is twofold: 1) to raise awareness of upcoming state deadlines for military members to register to vote and request an absentee ballot, and 2) to read more
The National Association of Secretaries of State has declared September 2012 National Voter Registration Month and September 25th National Voter Registration Day. September is the perfect time to focus on voter registration as 48 states and the District of Columbia have voter registration deadlines in October. In 2008, six million potential voters failed to cast read more
National Voter Registration Day is just three weeks away, but there’s still time to join the thousands of volunteers and organizations who have already signed on. National Voter Registration Day: Get Involved! Tuesday September 11th, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern On September 25th, 2012 thousands of nonprofits, civic groups, and volunteers across the country will band together for read more
California is poised to become the newest Election Day Registration (EDR) state. Currently, Californians must be registered two weeks ahead of Election Day, but under a new bill eligible voters would be allowed to register up to and on Election Day. If Governor Brown signs the bill, California will join ten other states and the read more
Last week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a new system to simplify and modernize voter registration. Currently, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers register to vote each year at a Department of Motor Vehicles office where they fill out a paper form, which the DMV then mails to each county’s Board of Elections. This read more
The National Association of Secretaries of State has officially declared September 25th, 2012 National Voter Registration Day! Read the full release. The National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) is a nonpartisan professional organization for state officials and its members include the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and American Samoa. NASS facilitates read more
Yesterday’s webinar, Ready, Set, Register: Nonprofit Voter Registration, is now available. Thank you to Isela Gutiérrez-Gunter from Democracy North Carolina for joining us to discuss how your nonprofit can raise participation rates in 2012 by registering voters. Watch the presentation on YouTube. If you subscribe to our channel, you’ll be notified whenever new content is read more
There’s still time to register for Thursday’s webinar! Ready, Set, Register: Nonprofit Voter Registration Thursday August 2nd, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern Registering to vote is the first step to becoming an active and engaged voter. In 2008, nine out of ten registered voters cast a ballot; among those who did not vote, many reported that they encountered problems read more
November is only a few months away! Help register your clients and community members to vote and ensure that their voices are heard in 2012! Register to learn more: Ready, Set, Register: Nonprofit Voter Registration Thursday August 2nd, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern Registering to vote is the first step to becoming an active and engaged voter. In 2008, read more
The countdown is officially on with only two months until National Voter Registration Day on September 25th! In 2008, 6 million Americans didn’t vote because they missed a registration deadline or didn’t know how to register. In 2012, we want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to vote. On September 25, 2012, organizations across read more
One of our newest national partners, YouthBuild USA, is coordinating a 2012 National Voter Registration Campaign with the goal of registering 25,000 new voters in YouthBuild communities across the country. Incorporated in 1990, there are now 273 YouthBuild programs in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands. 110,000 YouthBuild students have built read more
Yesterday’s webinar, National Voter Registration Day: How to Get Involved, is now available. With so many great questions from participants, you’ll definitely want to check out these materials! 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 read more
The only way to ensure that your clients and constituents can vote in November is to make sure they’re registered! Join us on Thursday for: National Voter Registration Day: How to Get Involved Thursday July 12th, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern On September 25th, 2012 thousands of nonprofits, businesses, and volunteers across the country will band together for read more
On Tuesday, Jefferson Keel, president of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), said that Indian Health Service facilities should be designated voter registration sites in the same way state-based public assistance agencies are under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). Keel noted that the facilities are ideal for voter registration because they’re in many read more
Yesterday’s webinar, Ready, Set, Register: Nonprofit Voter Registration, is now available! Thank you to our wonderful presenter, Isela Gutiérrez-Gunter of Democracy North Carolina. You can watch the presentation on YouTube, and 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 read more
The only way to ensure that your clients and constituents can vote in November is to make sure they’re registered! Learn how during Thursday’s webinar: Ready, Set, Register: Nonprofit Voter Registration Thursday June 14th, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern Registering to vote is the first step to becoming an active and engaged voter. In 2008, nine out of ten read more
November will be here before you know it–get a jump on registering your clients and community members to vote! Your nonprofit can ensure that their voices are heard in 2012! Register to learn more: Ready, Set, Register: Nonprofit Voter Registration Thursday June 14th, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern Registering to vote is the first step to becoming an active read more
This time last year we reported on a new election law in Florida that drastically restricted third-party voter registration efforts. The 2011 law required that completed registration forms be submitted within 48 hours (groups previously had 10 days) and imposed strict fines for each late registration form. This requirement severely hampered the ability of nonprofits read more
With Connecticut joining the ranks of Election Day (or Same Day) Registration states, let’s review how expanded registration opportunities make it possible for more people to participate. In 2010 Same Day Registration allowed almost 640,000 Americans to register and vote in the November 2, 2010 election. Moreover, states that allow for Same Day Registration consistently read more
Earlier this year, we tracked legislation in Connecticut that would allow for online registration (with a valid and current driver’s license) and Election Day Registration. As of last weekend, it appears that Connecticut will get both. The bill, passed by both the House and the Senate, goes to Governor Malloy who plans to sign it, read more
Georgia recently settled a lawsuit brought by a coalition of voting rights groups to force compliance with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and ensure that anyone applying for state public assistance or disability support is offered the opportunity to register to vote. In Georgia, it’s clear there’s plenty of room for improvement. A recent read more
The Pew Center on the States recently released an issue brief on “Evidence That America’s Voter Registration System Needs an Upgrade”. The report underscores the need for registration systems that better maintain voter records, save money, and streamline processes. The report notes that nationwide: At least 51 million eligible citizens remain unregistered–more than 24% of read more
Nonprofit VOTE is part of National Voter Registration Day, a nationwide initiative to register all eligible voters on September 25, 2012! In 2008, 6 million people failed to cast a ballot either because they didn’t know how to register to vote or they missed the deadline. But in 2012, we want to make sure everyone read more
The NAACP recently produced a report, “Defending Democracy: Confronting Modern Barriers to Voting Rights in America,” that contextualizes the emergence of recent “block the vote” measures and explains their potential effects. The report examines a slew of legislative proposals, ballot initiatives, and voting laws that have been enacted or proposed: 14 states have passed 25 read more
To help you prepare for this year’s election, we’ve updated and expanded our factsheet series! In addition to information on 501(c)(3) permissible activities and working with candidates, we have new factsheets on: Election Day Registration, explaining what it is, which states have it, and how it helps voters keep their registration current. Expanding Voter Registration read more
