VOTER ENGAGEMENT OPTIONS

The Providers’ Council and the CareVote Campaign want to work with you to design and implement a plan that will encourage as many people as possible to vote in this important election.

Plan to “Voterize” this year, and make the spirit of this civic engagement effort a daily part of meeting your mission.

Here's some key information to help nonprofits like yours voterize now:

Getting Started
Voter Registration for Staff, Board, Clients, & Consumers
Voter Education
Get Your CareVote Swag
Important Fine Print
Key Dates

START-UP STEPS

Create a plan for voter participation activities (registration, education, getting out to vote)
Confirm support from the Board of Directors and Executive Director/CEO
Endorse the CareVote campaign. Contact Michael Ripple.
Appoint an internal person to coordinate voter activities with CareVote Coordinator

VOTER REGISTRATION: STAFF, BOARD, CLIENTS AND CONSUMERS

Voterize! Combine voter registration with normal activity such as orientation of new hires, intake, home visits, community meetings, visits with parents, etc.
Use the “Are You Registered to Vote?” poster in key locations
Make registration forms easily available. Usually at the town/city hall
Designate person to acquire and then deliver forms to appropriate local election office(s)
Announce your voter registration campaign and alert local media.

VOTER EDUCATION

Sponsor a nonpartisan election event (candidate forum, debate, issue education).
Contact the media. A trip to the elections office is a potential news story. Take a camera and give a good photo to your local paper, which your representatives and senators read!
Contact the Election Department to bring in a sample voting machine for your lobby or a special event
Put election information in communications (e-updates, newsletter, etc)
And don’t forget voter education about the ballot questions - a permissible activity!!. Questions 1, 2, and 3 can cause great harm to our sector.

RECEIVE MATERIALS FROM THE PROVIDERS’ COUNCIL
(Email Michael Ripple)

CareVote buttons
CareVote posters (put your registration info on them)
Newsletter articles you can modify (with CareVote logo!)
A template for small cards you can produce with voter registration information. Good for off-site consumers/clients and staff or payroll stuffers
Registration Made Easy—one page leaflet: how to get forms, how to fill them out, and how to return them
Ask to be on our alert list for all new materials – carevote@providers.org

OTHER TOTALLY IMPORTANT STUFF!

Keep it legal. Avoid perceptions of “politicizing” this campaign. This is a voluntary, totally nonpartisan effort and people shouldn’t feel pressured or coerced to
The Secretary of State has registration forms in Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, Khmer, Haitian Creole, as well as in English.
Periodically ask whether the board and staff have updated their voter registration. (If people move, they need to register again.)
Send information on your agency to candidates running for office
Check out www.nonprofitvote.org for even more information.

KEY DATES

August 25 – the last day to register to vote and/or change party affiliation for the Massachusetts State primary
September 14 – The Massachusetts state primary for state offices.
October 13 – The last day to register for the General Election
November 2 – The General Election

CareVote is an initiative of the Providers’ Council. Thanks to the Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network for this checklist, which we have adapted.

Visit them at www.nonprofitvote.org.