Nonprofit staff members often have questions about their personal involvement in political campaigns or work with candidates. Outside of work, nonprofit employees are free to volunteer for candidate campaigns or engage in other partisan political activities. However, it is important to make clear distinctions between personal and professional efforts, as all voter engagement activities on read more
On November 4th voters will decide the fate of 146 statewide ballot measures in 42 states. While nonprofits cannot endorse or oppose candidates for office, they can engage their communities around ballot measures. Your efforts for or against a ballot measure are considered lobbying not electioneering. Therefore, your nonprofit can: Take a stand on a read more
Early voting is on the rise as voters take advantage of increased flexibility about how and when to cast their ballot. As a result, many voters are receiving and returning their ballot by mail–potentially as many as one in five voters this year. However, in 2012 more than a quarter of a million absentee ballots 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
The 2014 election is underway! As of October 15, 800,839 ballots have been cast in reporting jurisdictions. (Ballot count updated daily.) In 2010 over 19 million ballots were cast before Election Day. There are two ways to cast a ballot before Election Day: 1) by mail, or 2) in-person during a designated period prior to 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
In most states, voters have options for casting a ballot before Election Day. (See the Early Voting Information Calendar for details.) Voting early by mail is a popular choice, and three states–Colorado, Oregon, and Washington–conduct their elections exclusively by mail. To encourage early voting, Long Distance Voter has developed a new online tool to help read more
There is still time to engage candidates! One way to draw attention to the election is by engaging candidates. Our partners in Arizona, Massachusetts, and North Carolina have hosted forums and collected questionnaires. These events have attracted hundreds of attendees and have garnered responses from a wide range of candidates. Engaging candidates on a nonpartisan read more
Yesterday’s webinar, Nonprofits Get Out the Vote, is now available. Many thanks to Abby Kiesa of CIRCLE 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 the PowerPoint presentation and the audio portion of the presentation. Below are some read more
Nonprofits are bringing a spotlight to our sector’s issues this year and they’re doing it by engaging candidates. Engaging candidates on a nonpartisan basis shows future elected officials that our nonprofits are paying attention and that our communities vote. The Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers hosted a gubernatorial forum on September 24 focused on read more
November 4th is just weeks away, and there’s still a great deal your nonprofit can do to encourage voting and raise the profile of Election Day. Below is a list of 10 Things to Do from Now until Election Day: Promote Early Voting Opportunities. Early voting can allow voters to avoid lines and provides additional read more
Election Day is less than five weeks away. Find out what your nonprofit can do to encourage voting and help get your community to the polls! Nonprofits Get Out the Vote Thursday October 9th at 2:00pm ET On November 4th, voters will decide on all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 36 Senate seats, read more
This year, Election Day will start well before November 4th. For many years, early voting has been on the rise. In 2010, an estimated 27-29% of voters cast ballots early, much higher than previous midterms. In the 2012 presidential election, 35% of ballots cast were cast early. States currently offer three ways for voters to read more
In 2014, 33 Secretaries of State (or their relevant counterparts) promoted voter registration by endorsing National Voter Registration Day and National Voter Registration Month. See the full story below or open it in a new tab. [View the story “Secretaries of State #CelebrateNVRD in 2014” on Storify]
Last Tuesday we celebrated the third annual National Voter Registration Day. National Voter Registration day is held on the fourth Tuesday of September because it falls right before the start of state voter registration deadlines. In every state except North Dakota, you must be registered in order to vote. Four states have voter registration deadlines read more
It’s finally here. Today is National Voter Registration Day! First things first. Are you registered? If yes, then great! If you’re not sure, check your registration. Have you moved recently? It’s an important question, because one in four voters wrongly believe that their registration is automatically updated when then change their address with the U.S. 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
Thanks to Ballotpedia we have the final count for statewide ballot measures this year–148. Just 35–a near record low–of these ballot measures are citizen-proposed. The last time the total number of statewide measures fell below 150 was 1986. In 2012, voters saw 188 statewide ballot questions. 136 of this year’s statewide ballot measures will appear read more
NASS President and Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown shows her support for voting. You already know that Tuesday, September 23rd is National Voter Registration Day, but did you know that September is National Voter Registration Month? The National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) established September as National Voter Registration Month back in 2002 read more
National Voter Registration Day is almost here! On September 23rd register and prepare your staff, constituents, and community to vote. Help register a quarter of a million new voters in a single day. Over 1,700 organizations are already signed on, and you can still join. There are two key communication dates this month: Two Weeks 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
Voting laws are constantly changing. Stay up to date with what’s happening and how you can help your community vote. Expanding the Right to Vote in 2014 Thursday September 18th at 2:00pm ET 2014 has seen a range of new developments in voting and elections. Join us for an overview of recent trends in voting read more
In the constantly changing election landscape, many states are trying to find ways to improve the voter experience and increase turnout while saving money. In Arizona–which pioneered online registration back in 2002–an online voter registration costs just 3 cents, compared to 83 cents for a paper registration. In Washington state the cost of an online 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
A 2006 survey by the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation asked respondents “who/what influences whether or not you will vote?” and the top answers included: Family: 38% Community Organizations: 35% Media Ad: 10% No Response: 9% Friends: 8% The high level of respect for community organizations showed in this poll reinforces the role that 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
The following originally appeared as part of the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network‘s Nonprofit411 series. On November 4th, 36 senators, 36 governors, and all 435 members of the House of Representatives will be up for election. Here in Massachusetts, every statewide office, the state legislature, four (contentious) ballot questions, and numerous local races will be on the 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
Yesterday, the Los Angeles Ethics Commission voted to recommend that the City Council look at using cash prizes to lure a greater number of people to the polls. In an unanimous vote the panel said it wanted City Council President Herb Wesson’s Rules, Elections and Intergovernmental Relations Committee to seriously consider the use of financial read more
Visibility is key to voter engagement efforts. Promoting the election and offering reminders can help increase the likelihood that voters will register and turn out on Election Day. “Vote November 4” buttons, stickers, and posters are available in our online store to help with your 2014 voter engagement efforts. All items are offered at cost 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
Last week’s webinar, Celebrate National Voter Registration Day, is now available. Many thanks to Jimmy A. Hernández of Voto Latino and Maggie Duncan of the League of Women Voters of the US for joining us to talk about this exciting holiday for democracy. Watch the presentation on YouTube. If you subscribe to our channel, you’ll 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
Yesterday’s webinar, Laws on the Ballot: Ballot Measure Advocacy for Nonprofits, is now available. Many thanks to Abby Levine of Bolder Advocacy 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 audio portion read more
The following appeared in the Summer 2014 issue of Nonprofit Advantage, produced by the Connecticut Association of Nonprofits. This fall, 33 Senators, 36 Governors and all 435 members of the House of Representatives will be on ballots across the country. Already, 47 ballot questions are certified for spots on nineteen statewide ballots. There are lots read more
Voter engagement is a critical part of nonprofit work because it not only empowers the people and the communities we serve, but it also helps us further our missions. Voter engagement makes us relevant both during and after elections, helping to make us part of critical public policy discussions and allowing us to weigh in read more
The 3rd annual National Voter Registration Day is September 23rd! Plan now to join in this national celebration of democracy. Sign on as a partner before July 31st and you’ll receive your organizer’s toolkit and NVRD posters in August. In its first two years, more than 1,000 groups and 10,000 volunteers registered over 360,000 people read more
Learn what your nonprofit can do to take a position for or against a ballot measure – or provide neutral information on both sides. Laws on the Ballot: Ballot Measure Advocacy for Nonprofits Thursday July 24th at 2:00pm Eastern Nonprofits cannot support or oppose candidates, but they can take a stand on ballot measures. Ballot read more
Serve DC and the National Conference on Citizenship released the first-ever District of Columbia Civic Health Index, which reveals how District residents engage in key civic activities, such as voting, volunteering and interacting with neighbors. Compared to the 50 states, the District ranked among the highest when it came to voting in local elections (4th 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
Last week’s webinar, Candidate Engagement: Forums, Appearances, and More, is now available. Many thanks to Cheryl Clyburn Crawford of MassVOTE 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 audio portion of the read more
This November’s midterm election coincides with another special occasion: November 2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the first nationwide popular election of U.S. Senators. (Maryland and Alabama each held a special election prior to November 1914.) Before the ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, U.S. Senators were selected by state legislatures. 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
Voting not only helps advance the work of your nonprofit, but it can also benefit the individuals you serve. Interested in new ways of talking to your community about voting? Consider sharing our latest resource that highlights the health benefits of voting. Voting & Health: 5 Reasons It’s Good For You: It Strengthens Social Ties. read more
This week, the National Conference of State Legislatures launched their Elections Administration Research Database. The database houses more than 1,900 reports dating back to 2000 that address a wide range of elections topics including election costs, voter ID, and online voter registration. The reports reflect a variety of perspectives, ranging from election administrators to nonprofit read more
Nonprofit VOTE has update our factsheet series for 2014! Get the latest on candidate appearances, ballot measures, what staff can do, and more. In addition to our general factsheet series, we’ll also be releasing a new series in July on the Benefits of Voting. However, the first installment, Voting and Health: 5 Reasons It’s Good read more
Last November the IRS issued a proposal regarding changes to the political activities of 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations. The initial proposal was ultimately withdrawn this year after receiving more than 150,000 public comments, including input from Nonprofit VOTE and its partners. IRS Commissioner John Koskinen noted that “There are three issues: What should be the definition, read more
In November 35 Senate seats and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election in addition to state legislatures, governors, statewide offices, and more. Elections are a great way to connect with current and future elected officials. While they’re running, use the opportunity to get your issues in front of candidates, read more
One of Nonprofit VOTE’s newest partners, the National PTA, is already maximizing their work. The National PTA’s purpose is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children. To facilitate this, the PTA identified and cobranded the Nonprofit VOTE resources they found most useful for 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
Your nonprofit cannot support or oppose candidates but that doesn’t mean you can’t engage them. Learn more: Candidate Engagement: Forums, Appearances, and More Thursday June 26th at 2:00pm Eastern Candidate engagement is an effective way your nonprofit can advocate for your community and build relationships with future elected officials. Learn about candidate forums, candidate appearances, read more
For more than 50 years, the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas has had some of the lowest voter turnout in the country. Traditional political campaigns have not substantially changed these voter turnout rates: even in presidential election only two of ten eligible voters participate. A different approach to voter engagement is called for and 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
This week, CIRCLE launched a new interactive state-by-state map featuring youth voter turnout, voter registration, and youth demographic information. The map includes historical trends and state-level data on voter turnout and registration rates in midterm and presidential elections for citizens aged 18-29, and for those 30 and older. The map also allows users to create read more
Yesterday, Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick signed a bill that allows for early voting, online voter registration, post-election audits of voting machines, and pre-registration for 16 and 17 year-olds. With these election updates, Massachusetts joins 23 other states that allow online voter registration, 32 that offer some form of early voting, and 14 that have pre-registration. read more
Don’t wait. The election is only six months away. Nonprofit VOTE is making it easy for you to help ensure your community can participate. Our new voter registration tool makes registering or updating your registration fast and easy. Developed by Rock the Vote and improved over several election cycles, it is state-specific and uses simple 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 year, Nonprofit VOTE submitted comments to the IRS regarding proposed changes to the political activities of 501(c)(4) organizations. This month, Adler & Colvin began publishing a list of the Top 25 Comments on the IRS Proposed Political Activity Rules. Nonprofit VOTE was number 18, along with Project VOTE and Rock the Vote. IRS Commissioner read more
Earlier this month, New York Governor Cuomo signed a bill adding the state to the National Popular Vote Compact. New York’s 29 electoral votes bring the total to 165, 61% of the 270 that are needed to guarantee a majority in the Electoral College. Supporters of National Popular Vote see it as a remedy to read more
Yesterday’s webinar, Who Votes Now? Demographics, Issues, Inequality and Turnout in the United States, is now available. Many thanks to Professor Nagler 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 audio portion 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
Yesterday’s webinar, Getting Started: Nonpartisan Voter Engagement at Your Nonprofit, is now available. Many thanks to MassVOTE’s Sara Brady for sharing 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 portion of the read more
In addition to our April 17th webinar on getting started, we also have a special webinar next week on voter turnout: Who Votes Now? Demographics, Issues, Inequality and Turnout in the United States Thursday April 24th at 2:00pm Eastern Hear about the turnout and representation gap and its implications for your nonprofit and community. This read more
Nonprofit VOTE is pleased to announce that an updated version of our resource, Nonprofits, Voting and Elections: A 501(c)(3) Guide to Nonpartisan Voter Engagement, is now available online. It is designed to provide guidance to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations interested in encouraging voting and voter participation among their staff, board, clients, constituents, and communities. It covers read more
30 years ago common wisdom said there was little difference between the beliefs of voters and non-voters. However, a new book, Who Votes Now? Demographics, Issues, Inequality and Turnout in the United States, shows that today there’s a marked difference between the issue preferences of those who vote and those who don’t. The groups divide read more
Interested in voter engagement but not sure where to start? Then join us for: Getting Started: Nonpartisan Voter Engagement at Your Nonprofit Thursday April 17th at 2:00pm Eastern This introduction to nonprofit voter engagement work covers the basics while focusing on how to integrate activities into the services you already provide. We’ll cover voter registration, read more
Yesterday, Nebraska’s governor signed a bill (LB 661) into law that will enable online voter registration by the middle of 2015. The new system will also allow voters to update their registration information. Governor Heineman said, “This is a huge, big step forward in terms of what we do with voter registration.” Voters hoping to read more
Last week’s webinar, Being Nonpartisan: Voter Engagement for 501(c)(3) Nonprofits, is now available. 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 portion of the presentation, or browse all of our nonpartisan resources on staying 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
Missed last month’s webinar? No problem, we can still help you make a plan for your 2014 voter engagement work. Register now for this week’s webinar: Plan Ahead 2014: Build a Voter Engagement Timeline for Your Nonprofit Thursday February 27th at 2:00pm Eastern The 2014 midterm elections will be here soon, and it’s time to read more
This week, Nonprofit VOTE responded to the IRS proposal to limit the political activities of 501(c)(4) social welfare organizations. Comments are due February 27th. Nonprofit VOTE and its partners welcome IRS action to stop the rising abuse of 501(c)(4) nonprofits to channel large amounts of secret, undisclosed money into political campaigns. However, in its attempt read more
Earlier this month, the Montana Supreme Court ruled that a legislative referendum to end Election Day voter registration can appear on the November 4, 2014 ballot. Called the Montana Late Voter Registration Revision Measure, LR-126, it seeks to eliminate Election Day Registration (EDR), instead closing voter registration on the Friday before Election Day. While the read more
Last week, Nonprofit VOTE was in Washington, DC at the winter conference of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) to present to their Voter Participation Committee on National Voter Registration Day (NVRD). Nonprofit VOTE’s Executive Director, George Pillsbury, and Voto Latino’s Partnership Director, Jessica Reeves talked to the Secretaries about the day’s success 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
Missed last month’s webinar? No problem, we can still help you make a plan for your 2014 voter engagement work. Register now for: Plan Ahead 2014: Build a Voter Engagement Timeline for Your Nonprofit Thursday February 27th at 2:00pm Eastern The 2014 midterm elections will be here soon, and it’s time to start thinking about read more
To help you plan and organize your voter engagement work this year, we’ve created a 2014 Voter Registration and Engagement Timeline for Nonprofits and Human Service Agencies. Broken down by month, this checklist will help ensure your work is on track. It highlights planning activities for early in the year, ideas for testing out your 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
Last week, National Voter Registration Day released their 2013 Field and Communications report. Despite 2013 being an off-year election cycle, the second annual NVRD had a presence in all 50 states and remained a popular event. Additionally, secretaries of state across the country embraced National Voter Registration Day in 2013. Last year: 931 partners and read more
Earlier this month, Nonprofit VOTE debuted our new website. Featured on the site is the nation’s largest online library of voter engagement resources for nonprofits. The library contains over 200 guides, toolkits, factsheets, posters, training presentations, and information about nonprofits and elections. It includes the latest voter engagement resources from Nonprofit VOTE and its partners, read more
Yesterday’s webinar, Plan Ahead 2014: Build a Voter Engagement Timeline for Your Nonprofit, is now available. 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 portion of the presentation, or browse all of our nonpartisan read more
A new poll from The Pew Charitable Trusts indicates that many voters are not well-informed about election policies. Among registered voters living in states with early voting: 11% did not realize that their state offered the option of voting early. 11% were unsure whether early voting was available in their state. Among registered voters read more
Next week, CIRCLE is launching a free, 5-week, open online seminar that will extend research and recommendations from their recent report, All Together Now: Collaboration and Innovation for Youth Engagement. The seminar is an effort to reach out to, connect, and engage individuals and groups interested in extending the conversation about the state of youth read more
Nonprofit VOTE is kicking off 2014 with a new look! Today we’re debuting our redesigned website. The site is simple, clean, easy to navigate, and of course nonpartisan and nonprofit friendly! Although the design may be different, the quality content and helpful resources haven’t changed. Featured on the site is our new online voter engagement read more
It’s January, which means it’s time to start making a voter engagement plan! The midterm elections are November 4th, and 35 Senate seats and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election. At least 21 states will have state-wide ballot measures. Make sure your nonprofit is prepared by joining our January read more
Before 2013 comes to a close, we want to a take a brief moment to thank our partners, our supporters, and nonprofits across the country for supporting voting. 2013 was an exciting year for Nonprofit VOTE: We debuted brand-new research on the impact of nonprofit voter engagement, including both turnout data and case studies. The read more
Earlier this year, the Sentencing Project gave an update on felon disenfranchisement in the United States. Currently, 5.85 million Americans are prohibited from voting due to laws that disenfranchise citizens convicted of felony offenses. Only two states–Maine and Vermont–do not restrict the voting rights of anyone with a felony conviction, even while in prison. However, read more
Today, the U.S. Census Bureau released Census Explorer, a new interactive map that gives users easier access to neighborhood-level statistics. The map uses the most current statistics, updated from the 2008-2012 American Community Survey. Topics currently available in Census Explorer include: Total population, Percent 65 and older, Foreign-born population percentage, Percent of the population with read more
Project Vote’s map of early and absentee voting, 2013. Last month, Project Vote released their latest policy paper, this one on Early Voting. Although voting has traditionally taken place on a single Election Day, in recent years many states have expanded opportunities to vote before Election Day–generally to accommodate voter schedules and in the hopes read more
As 2013 ends, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what we learned this year. This summer, Nonprofit VOTE released a two-part report, Can Nonprofits Increase Voting Among Their Clients, Constituents, and Staff? An Evaluation of the Track the Vote Program. While Part I of the report showcases the impact of nonprofit voter engagement on read more
Midterm elections are next year and 35 Senate seats will be up for election along with all 435 seats in the House of Representatives. At least 21 states will have state-wide ballot measures. Join our January webinar to ensure your nonprofit is prepared: Plan Ahead 2014: Build a Voter Engagement Timeline for Your Nonprofit Thursday read more
Election spending by 501(c)(4) “social welfare” organizations not required to disclose their donors mushroomed from a few million in 2006 to over $250 million in 2012. On Thanksgiving eve, the IRS and Treasury department released a long awaited proposal to define and restrict the political activity of 501(c)(4) organizations. What are they proposing? Is it read more
This month’s municipal elections in Connecticut marked the first time voters in the state could register on Election Day. In Connecticut, Election Day Registration is not available at polling places. Instead, each town has a designated Election Day Registration location. Secretary of State Denise Merrill estimates that between 1,500 and 2,000 people took advantage of Election read more
According to CIRCLE’s calculations of exit polls, youth turnout was 26% in Virginia and 18% in New Jersey this year. Using the same methods, CIRCLE concluded that youth turnout in Virginia was 17% in 2009 and 18% in 1997, and in New Jersey 26% in 1997 and 19% in 2009. This suggests a significant increase read more
This post was written by Aisia Davis, Nonprofit VOTE’s Administrative Assistant and a 2L student at New England Law | Boston. Earlier this month, Washington voters rejected a proposal that would have increased the profitability of the signature gathering business by altering the state’s initiative process. Washington is one of 24 states which use an read more
