Whether you are a political group or an advocacy organization, voter registration is an essential part of every election cycle. Voter registration drives can increase voter turnout, combat issues such as voter suppression and disenfranchisement, and improve accessibility to voters through early voting rules or ballots that allow people to cast their vote from home.
What would you need to know?
Getting people to register to vote has never been easier thanks to modernized voter registration systems and the advent of online voter registration services like Vote.gov and myvote.org, the latter of which offers a free, no-obligation voter ID application that you can fill out at your leisure. There are also many organizations aimed at engaging voters, such as VoteRiders and the League of Women Voters that are more than happy to provide support.
The best way to go about it is to get in touch with your local state and federal election officials and ask them for recommendations on where to start. They will likely offer some helpful advice and perhaps point you in the direction of the local student groups with the most members or the highest turnout.
What are the steps to take to start a voter registration drive?
When planning a voter registration drive, there are a number of steps you can take to ensure that your campaign is effective.
First, research local laws and deadlines for voter registration.
Next, create publicity for your voter registration drive through a variety of media outlets, including social media, newsletters, posters, and flyers at neighborhood events. You can also use mass text messaging campaigns to remind people of your registration drive and encourage them to register.
Once you have a solid plan in place, recruit volunteers for your drive. Organize orientation meetings and make sure your volunteers know what they’re expected to do and how to be successful.
Lastly, be prepared to answer questions that come up during the registration process. Have a “cheat sheet” of commonly asked questions to help your team be prepared for any situation that arises.
Remember, registering to vote is a fundamental right of all Americans, and every vote counts! Getting others registered to vote will improve the chances that you’ll be heard in elections and can impact the policies that affect us all.
How will it impact voter turnout?
One of the greatest challenges to voter turnout is the barriers voters face in accessing the ballot. These include difficulty locating where to register, getting approved identification, and finding transportation to DMVs or other registration locations.
Additionally, people often face perceptual barriers to voting, such as political cynicism or the belief that their vote doesn’t matter. Those barriers may be exacerbated by voter laws, such as felony disenfranchisement and strict identification requirements.
The number of new voters could be projected if all states adopted policies to make the voting process more accessible, such as online voter registration.
All else being equal, had every state adopted Georgia’s policy to allow online voter registration in 2016, a total of 536,000 additional voters would have been expected to cast a ballot.
Why it’s important to vote
Voter registration drives are one way to help people make their voices heard. They are often organized by partisan groups, but non-partisan voter registration drives can be just as effective in raising awareness about the right to vote.
In the United States, voter registration is a prerequisite for voting at federal, state and local elections. It is also a requirement for serving on juries and performing other civil duties.
As part of Civics Week, DemocracyNYC and the Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit mobilized a broad coalition of partners to register students to vote in high schools and colleges across the five boroughs that week.
According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, around seven-in-ten Americans (69%) say it’s very important to vote in elections to be a good member of society.
That’s much more than say the same about other activities asked about, including taking steps to reduce the impact of climate change and joining demonstrations about issues people think matter.
