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NEIGHBORHOOD VOTER CONTACT PROGRAM ACTION STEPSNEIGHBORHOOD VOTER CONTACT PROGRAM ACTION STEPS

Voter Registration

Why register voters?

A comprehensive voter registration campaign is a campaign's first step in executing a successful voter contact program. Voter registration is an important organizing tool for increasing voter turnout in your targeted areas, accessing untapped resources in under-represented communities, and building the base of your campaign.

Like everything else in a campaign, the voter registration program should be carefully planned, based on a set of specific goals. These goals include the number of people the campaign hopes to register and the number of precincts to target. The campaign should know how many votes it will take to win and base its voter registration goals on its targeting data.

Once this targeting has been done centrally at the campaign, Precinct Captains can be provided with this information to execute a voter registration program. 

Who do you register?

The goal of a voter registration campaign is simple - register eligible voters that are not currently registered. Below are some potential targets for reaching those unregistered voters.

Targets: As mentioned above, your precise targets for voter registration will depend on the overall targeting to get the number of votes needed to win. Within that context, potential targets for voter registration include:

  • Transient voters - these are voters that move frequently, such as apartment dwellers. Because they move around, and because voters living in apartments are more difficult to reach, they are an important target to increase voter turnout. Voters must re-register at any new address.
  • High School and College Students - in any given election, high school and college students may never have voted before, or they may have recently moved to the area.
  • Precincts with historically low voter turnout - this information can be found out using the voter file.
  • Traditionally underrepresented communities - New Americans, communities of color, and young people are all examples of constituencies that tend to be underrepresented in our electoral process. Registering these voters expands the base and increases voter turnout. How to conduct a voter registration drive

 

Where to do voter registration

Canvassing

The most effective way to register voters is through direct personal contact at the door or at strategic gathering points such as bus stops, shopping malls, or cultural events. Door-to-door efforts, also known as "canvassing," require time and volunteers, making a great activity for Precinct Chairs to take responsibility for.

Canvassing is a particularly effective method of voter registration because it is conducted in a well-defined area that the campaign has already targeted.

Community Events

In addition to canvassing, other methods of registering voters include setting up voter registration sites in public areas or at community events. Depending on the laws in different states and municipalities, campaigns can establish registration tables at public locations like shopping malls, libraries, and community or campus centers. Precinct Captains can recruit volunteers to have a presence at all events in their precinct - block parties, farmer's markets, festivals, etc.

 

How to register people to vote

  1. Know the laws.  Rules regulating voter registration vary from state to state.  Be sure you understand who can do voter registration, and when.  Check out your Secretary of State's website or office for this information.
  2. Get the cards.  The first step to get voter registration cards from the Secretary of State's office or your county or city elections office.
  3. Fill the card out with the person registering.  Make sure that they fill it out properly and that they use their full address, including St./Ave and direction.
  4. Take the card with you.  If the person says they will mail the card, try to persuade voters to let you turn in their cards.  Assure them that you are turning in many people's cards and that theirs wil get to the right place in time. 
  5. Get their permission to contact them with information about the election and their polling place. You could have a clipboard sign-up for this purpose.
  6. Remind the voter that they should bring their ID to the polls.
  7. Hand-deliver the cards.  Familiarize yourself with the laws regarding when, where, and how to deliver cards. These can vary widely and it is best to be safe.