Advocacy Spotlight Series
Nonprofit Mission: Leveraging Power Through Purpose
For many nonprofits, engagement in policy, advocacy, and elections is not so much a question of interest, but rather insufficient knowledge about “what” civic activities are permissible and training on “how” to easily integrate with their services. In fact, research confirms that one of the many factors that deter engagement is a disconnect between civic engagement and their organizations’ mission.
To address this, Independent Sector launched the, “Leave No Power on the Table” initiative, an educational series and nonpartisan pledge campaign that equips nonprofits with the resources and support they need to strengthen their influence and better serve their constituents through advocacy, civic engagement, and voter participation. As an initiative of the Leave No Power on the Table campaign, the “Advocacy Spotlight Series” features a compilation of inspiring case studies that allow nonprofits to “learn by doing” through everyday examples of nonprofit advocacy.
This Case Study was developed in partnership with VoteRiders and The Arc Dane County:
Q: What is a Voter ID Information Card and why is it a requisite tool for nonprofit voter engagement? How does Voter ID impact a broad range of communities and constituencies served by nonprofits?
“Voter ID (VID) Information Cards are pocket-sized guides that provide insight on the acceptable forms of voter identification in each state. VID Cards are a requisite tool for nonprofit voter engagement because they provide a simple and effective method to disseminate reliable nonpartisan voter education resources through their organization’s existing services. Voter ID laws disproportionately impact communities that are already underrepresented by creating barriers that make voting more difficult. These complicated laws disenfranchise those who lack valid ID and deter individuals from participating in elections due to confusion. People of color, students, young adults, voters with disabilities, elderly voters, individuals who no longer drive, unhoused individuals, returning citizens, low-income Americans, and voters such as married women or transgender individuals who change their names are all demographics that are affected by voter ID laws.“
Q: How and why are nonprofits uniquely effective in educating the communities they serve about Voter ID policies?
“Nonprofits are uniquely effective in educating the communities they serve about Voter ID policies because of the strong relationships they have built over time with their respective constituency. The most successful nonprofit organizations that make the biggest impact do so by building trust between their organization and the community they serve. It is extremely difficult to replicate the type of grassroots work nonprofit organizations provide on a daily basis. With the spread of misinformation related to elections and voting, the need for credible messengers of information is of the utmost importance.”
Q: What are some tangible examples of how nonprofits can incorporate Voter ID information cards into their existing services and programming?
“There are a variety of ways that nonprofits can integrate Voter ID information cards into their direct services and programming including distribution during door-to-door canvassing drives, care package assembly, during intake, and more! For instance, in preparation for the 2022 midterm election, The Arc-Dane County is displaying VoteRiders Voter ID Information Cards at corporate events. At each event, they distribute printed voter education and swag materials sponsored by The Arc, The Arc-Dane County, REV UP, AAPD, Disability Rights Wisconsin, BPDD, and now, VoteRiders. To date, those events have included the Arc-Dane County’s Spring Dance which convened 175 individuals and 85 attendees at VoteRiders’ Community Awards.
To support their voter outreach efforts, The Arc-Dane County routinely features VoteRiders’ content and resources across their social media platforms and in their digital newsletter. VoteRiders’ Voter ID Information Cards have proven to be an effective tool to help initiate conversations that advance community-driven solutions and dismantle barriers that seek to undermine voting rights, accessibility, and guardianship.”
Q: What tips or recommendations would you give to nonprofit organizations that incorporate Voter ID Information cards into their voter engagement plan?
Nonprofit organizations should consider the following actions when incorporating Voter ID Information cards into their voter engagement plan:
- “Place the cards in locations where there is heavy traffic, interaction, or visibility, such as a reception desk or on your website, should your organization choose to upload the cards in a digital format.
- Have an ID question prepared when interacting directly with a voter
- If the individual confirms that they don’t have a valid ID, provide them with a Voter ID Information Card. Each card will provide guidance on how voters in that respective state can receive immediate ID assistance with VoteRiders. Additional resources and recommendations can be accessed in our 2024 Partner Toolkit.
Q: How can nonprofit advocates order Voter ID information cards??
“Today, the VoteRiders team works alongside more than 8,000 partner organizations and over 1,000 volunteers (including an army of pro bono lawyers) nationwide to address the increasing number of stringent voter ID laws across the country. Upon developing a Nonprofit Voter Engagement Plan, nonprofit advocates can order VID information cards through a VoteRiders’ staff member or by filling out the order form. Participating organizations must agree to remain nonpartisan and detail their nonprofit’s strategy to distribute the VID information cards.”
Q: How did The Arc-Dane County benefit from this service?
“The Arc-Dane County is a nonprofit organization that works to ensure all children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families are offered the same opportunities, choices, rights, and respect due all people in our community through example, education, advocacy, support, and legislation. As one of the nation’s leading disability rights advocates, The Arc-Dane County has been working to become more active in getting out the disability vote. Our voter engagement efforts include registering voters with disabilities and educating stakeholders about policy recommendations and frameworks to support people with disabilities.
Engaging in nonpartisan issue advocacy not only provided our nonprofit with a platform to build and increase awareness, but it also supports our efforts to develop an informed electorate by helping our supporters understand how their vote can help to resolve or perpetuate longstanding inequities. VoteRiders is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization with a mission to ensure that all citizens can exercise their freedom to vote. VoteRiders informs and helps citizens secure their voter ID, as well as inspires and supports organizations, local volunteers, and communities to sustain voter ID education and assistance efforts.”
This interview was conducted in 2022 with Selene Gomez, VoteRider’s National Outreach Director in support of the Nonprofit Voter Empowerment Project, a nonpartisan campaign that was developed by Independent Sector in partnership with Nonprofit VOTE to support nonprofits as they work to increase voter participation among their staff, grantees, volunteers, and constituents. Visit https://www.voteriders.org/ to learn more about partnership opportunities!
