Nonprofit Staff Voter Engagement Activities
What is National Voter Registration Day?
This week constituents nationwide are celebrating Constitution Week — a six-day observance that’s celebrated annually during September 17th-23rd that commemorates the anniversary of the drafting of the U.S. Constitution. The anniversary of the proclamation’s ratification coincides with National Voter Registration Day (NVRD)— another nonpartisan holiday that’s recognized annually on the fourth Tuesday of September to observe our collective efforts to address barriers that serve as an impediment to civic participation. This year’s civic holiday will commence on Tuesday, September 22nd.
Why Should Nonprofits Participate in National Voter Registration Day?
Partaking in National Voter Registration Day allows nonprofit organizations to leverage their engagement assets and unparalleled reach to optimize participation among staff, volunteers, affiliate members, and the communities we serve. Both Constitution Week and NVRD recognize our commitment to uphold the constitutional system and acknowledge the requisite to defend it to ensure our nation reflects its ideals. Industries across all sectors are charged with the responsibility of precluding efforts that seek to threaten the integrity of our institutions or undermine the full promise of democracy. Research indicates that electoral candidates and incumbents engage communities with high voter turnout rates. Encouraging voter participation in communities served by nonprofits ensures that elected officials are accountable to nonprofit organizations and constituents alike once elected into office.
How Will Independent Sector Celebrate This Year’s National Voter Registration Day?
As a nonprofit staff member, board member, or volunteer you advocate for your organization’s mission in the work that you do at the office, in your communities, and often at your homes. Therefore, the question remains: If we live the values of our mission and advocate for our mission every day, shouldn’t we conduct ourselves as engaged citizens with that mission in mind as well? Join us in celebrating this year’s holiday by completing the following challenges:
Staff Engagement Activities:
The inability to organize in-person registration drives amid COVID-19 doesn’t preclude nonprofits from participating in voter registration activities. We may not be hitting the streets this year, but we’re still working hard to register voters on National Voter Registration Day. The competition will begin promptly at 2:00 PM, Tuesday, September 22nd and will end at 12:00 AM, Wednesday September 23rd. All materials must be submitted by 11:59 PM, Tuesday, September 22nd. While participation is not mandatory, it is strongly encouraged. Please submit all questions to publicpolicy@independentsector.org.
National Voter Registration Day Competition
- Staff Voter Registration Drawing
Registering to vote is the first step to preparing for the 2020 general election on November 3rd. It takes less than 30 seconds to check your voter registration status. To participate in this challenge Independent Sector staff members must verify their registration status or register using this free and secure voter registration tool. Proof of registration must be submitted to publicpolicy@independentsector.org in the form of a screen shot that includes the participant’s name only. The names of each eligible participant will be placed in a drawing upon the completion of the challenge. Additional information regarding voter registration in each state can be accessed here.
Prize: Participants will be entered into a drawing for a $25 Visa Gift Card, materials submitted after 11:59 PM, Tuesday, September 22nd will not be considered.
- NVRD Social Media Challenge & Drawing
Spreading the National Voter Registration Day word among your own network of has never been easier thanks to social media. To be eligible for the drawing participants must partake in at least one of the following social media promotions on a platform of their choice.
Each participant’s name will be placed into the drawing. A maximum of four social media messages will be considered per participant:
Twitter:
Option 1) Participants may quote tweet Independent Sector’s NVRD tweet with their own personal message that states why they believe voter registration and participation is important or
Option 2) Participants may share one of the following messages with the NVRD graphic:
- Already registered and wondering how you can celebrate #NationalVoterRegistrationDay today? Tag a friend or 10 and tell them to pass it on! Or get #VoteReady yourself! Look into options available in your state for voting by mail, voting early, and more: https://bit.ly/2ZjpZYV
- It’s National Voter Registration Day! Make the community you serve is #VoteReady. Take 30 seconds to register to vote, check your registration status, or find a registration event on or offline near you: https://bit.ly/2ZjpZYV
Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn:
Participants may share one of the following messages with the NVRD graphic:
- Already registered and wondering how you can celebrate #NationalVoterRegistrationDay today? Tag a friend or 10 and tell them to pass it on! Or get #VoteReady yourself! Look into options available in your state for voting by mail, voting early, and more: https://bit.ly/2ZjpZYV
It’s National Voter Registration Day! Make the community you serve is #VoteReady. Take 30 seconds to register to vote, check your registration status, or find a registration event on or offline near you: https://bit.ly/2ZjpZYV
Prize: Participants will be entered into a drawing for a $40 Visa Gift Card, materials submitted after 11:59 PM, Tuesday, September 22nd will not be considered.
Graphics can be accessed in G:NVRD Press Kit. Proof of completion must be submitted to publicpolicy@independentsector.org in the form of a screen shot to verify eligibility.
- NVRD Outreach Challenge
National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan civic holiday celebrating our democracy. First observed in 2012, it has quickly gained momentum ever since. Nearly 3 million voters have registered to vote on the holiday to date. To be eligible in the Voter Registration Challenge participants must distribute a minimum of 10 emails to prospective voters in their personal or professional network. The staff member who sends the most emails, wins!
Email Template
Subject: Happy National Voter Registration Day
Dear [Name of Receiver],
We’re excited to once again be part of a national effort to strengthen our democracy by registering voters on September 22, 2020, also known as National Voter Registration Day.
First celebrated in 2012, National Voter Registration Day has become a national holiday when thousands of organizations and volunteers organize to ensure our family, friends, and neighbors are registered to vote and ready to cast a ballot. Since then, almost 3 million voters have registered to vote on the holiday. No matter what party you support or which issues matter most to you, I invite you to join us in celebrating democracy, today, by:
- Registering to Vote,
- Following National Voter Registration Day on Facebook and Twitter, and
- Sharing information about the holiday and registering to vote with your community using the hashtags #VoteReady and #NationalVoterRegistrationDay.
Thank you for your continued support. Learn more at www.NationalVoterRegistrationDay.org and use #NatlonalVoterRegistrationDay and #VoteReady on social media to spread the word. Additional voter engagement tools and resources can be accessed in the Independent Sector Election Center.
Best,
[Name, Organization Signature]
Prize: The participant who sends the most emails will win a $35 Visa Gift Card, materials submitted after 11:59 PM, Tuesday, September 22nd will not be considered.
Participants must BCC publicpolicy@independentsector.org on each email to verify eligibility.
