Voter RegistrationAAUW Style

August 24, 2016

Why Conduct Voter Registration Events?

• Public Policy is a core element of AAUW’s mission

• Supports AAUW Action Fund• Our democracy must ensure that all eligible voters have the opportunity and the

information needed to exercise their right to vote.

• Benefits your Branch• Provides another type of event for member participation• Creates good-will in the community• Introduces the branch to potential new members• Provides opportunity to build coalitions (LWV, non-profits)• Opportunity to work with C/U partner

• Becomes a reoccurring activity for your branch• Important every year and for every election (national, state, local)

Ground Rules• AAUW voter registration events must be non-partisan

• Never hold a voter registration at a one-party-only event.• May not display any AAUW advocacy or voter education materials on the voter registration

table. • OK to have at adjacent table.

• All volunteers must understand they can not discuss political candidates or their positions while registering voters.

• If violated, AAUW’s 501c4 status is in jeopardy

• May not offer something of value to a person for completing a voter registration application• Pennsylvania law states that a person may not intentionally give or promise or offer to give

money or goods to an individual as an inducement for the individual to enroll in a particular party or for a registrant to change political enrollment.

• Federal law states that whoever pays or offers to pay or accepts payment either for registration to vote or for voting shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than five years. • California's Secretary of State has interpreted the federal law to mean that any type of incentive is

considered payment, even things as seemingly innocent as cookies or admission to an entertainment event.

• Better safe than sorry.

Pennsylvania Resources

• Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation oversees the Commonwealth’s electoral process

http://www.dos.pa.gov/votingelections/pages/default.aspx

• Everyone Votes PA Voter toolkithttp://www.dos.pa.gov/VotingElections/OtherServicesEvents/Pages/Everyone.VotesPA.aspx

• Comprehensive site for information www.votespa.com• Online voter registration

• Check voter registration or register online

Registration DeadlineOctober 11, 2016

AAUW Resources• AAUW Action Fund

• Advances equity for women and girls through member activism and voter mobilization. https://www.aauwaction.org/

• GOTV toolkit is comprehensive and worth downloading

AAUW Resources• AAUW National

• Register an event to receive FREE materials• http://www.aauw.org/resource/upcoming-advocacy-activity-events-form/

• AAUW Pennsylvania• Voter Registration webinar materials• http://www.projectvote.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/pennsylvania_voter_registration_guide.pdf

• Bucks County Women’s Advocacy Coalition Voter Toolkit

Complete form at least seven business days before your event.

Types of Events

• Send volunteers with clipboards to places where large groups of people congregate• Malls, movie theaters, libraries, neighborhood festivals, rallies, farmers

markets, etc.

• Set up a table on the campus of an AAUW college/university partner or another university, college, or community college in your area.

• Hold an issue forum on a topic important to your community and make a voter registration pitch at the end of each event.

• Partner with high school government class to register seniors

• Distribute BCWAC voter toolkit to non-profits• Provides all the tools they need to register clients and supporters

Registering voters is best done through

direct, personal, targeted contact.

Getting Started

• Set a date• Registrations must be received or postmarked by the county’s Bureau of

Elections 30 days prior to the election.

• Find a location• Be sure to check the rules for each location before planning a voter

registration event there

• Invite coalition partners• C/U; LWV; non-profit

• Publicity• Send press release to local newspaper; post on your branch website,

Facebook page; Letter to Editor

Supplies

• Table and chairs (sometimes venue provides)

• Canopy (outdoor venues for long period of time)

• Signs

• Clipboards, black-ink pens

• Paper registration forms• County’s Bureau of Elections office, Post Offices, PA Wine and Spirits Stores,

municipal buildings, public libraries, or it may be downloaded at www.VotesPA.com.

• The Department of State’s website indicates that to request multiple state voter registration applications for voter registration drives call 1-877-868-3772.

• If you plan on registering voters through the Internet• Make sure you have enough laptops or tablets and a secure Internet connection.

• Swag from AAUW

Carlisle Branch

Think twice about offering online registration

• Must have a secure Internet connection. • The voter registration application can be accessed directly at

register.votesPA.com. • Persons with a Pennsylvania driver’s license or PennDOT ID card, their

signature on file at PennDOT will be sent to the county voter registration office and attached to their voter record.

• Those without a PA drivers' license or PennDOT ID card can still register on line with last 4 of Social Security number. However, they need to upload a digital signature or submit their signature by mail to complete the registration process.• These steps probably can't be accomplished at a voter registration drive. • Direct people to the votesPA.com to access Online Voter Registration FAQ's which

gives step by step instructions for this process.

The closer to the registration deadline, the less efficient registering online becomes.

Volunteers

• Determine a schedule and solicit volunteers• One hour shifts; minimum two to three people (depending on anticipated volume)• If working with coalition partner, fill shifts with mix of volunteers

• Train volunteers• Options include—holding a meeting or conference call; sending instructions via email when

confirming schedule.• At event—talk with each volunteer at beginning of shift to review the instructions and answer

questions• Make sure they understand

• no display of any AAUW advocacy or voter education materials• can not discuss political candidates or their positions

• ABSOLUTELY make sure checking registration for completeness before letting new applicant leave is part of your process

• Develop a Super-User• A subject-matter-expert who understands the process and is able to answer arcane questions (or

know where to find the answers)

Hints from Carlisle

• Sample registration completed and mounted on foam board

• For Dickinson College students • Confirmed with Bureau of Elections they could use their

mailing address (instead of dorm address) and created Dickinson College sample registration form

• Oversized envelop to collect completed registrations—so gathered safely in one place

• Volunteer Reference Manual• Schedule; training sheet; important dates; FAQ’s

• Basket of It’s Your Vote buttons on table

• Passed out Your Vote Your Voice to answer “why vote?” type questions

• Gave applicant Your Vote is Your Vote sheet• Two on page and cut in half

Day of Event

• Arrive an hour before your event starts to set up.• Lay out your supplies, set up your signs, arrange your stickers and buttons, etc.• Remember: legal restrictions prevent the use of AAUW advocacy materials, such as

voter guides or issue fact sheets, in conjunction with a voter registration drive.

• Ask volunteers arrive 15-30 minutes prior to the start of their shift• Review training document; answer questions

• Get out from behind the table—engage with folks as they walk by• Are you registered to vote at your current address? • Any changes to address or name since the last time you voted?

• Keep it personal — talk to people about why voting is important and what issues are at stake in the upcoming elections.• Your Vote Your Vote guide

Filling out the Voter Registration Application

Print your nameMust use legal name

EligibilityIn PA you must: - Be a citizen of the US for at least one month before the next election - Be a resident of Pennsylvania for at least 30 days before the next election - Be 18 years of age on the day of the next election.

ReasonBe sure appropriate box is checked to indicate why the applicant is completing this form

About YouPhone, email and race are optional. All others required.

Phone and email used if information is missing on the form. Be sure the birth date is not the date the form is being completed.

Your AddressThis is the physical location, not a PO Box. If the applicant lives in a rural area and does not have a street address, use the map on the back of the application to show where the applicant lives, with landmarks and road names. At times the municipality may be different than the city/town of residence. If the applicant does not know the municipality it is ok to leave it blank. It is not required and will be filled in automatically when the County Voter Registration Office enters the information in the data base.

The address where you receive mailComplete if different from residence (not required for acceptance of form, but required for receiving election-related mail)

IdentificationIf the person has a PennDOT driver's license number they must use it. If not they can use the last four digits of their Social Security number. Applicant can check if they have neither a PennDOT number or a Social Security number.

Political PartyInform the applicant know that Pennsylvania has closed primaries—which means if they wish to vote in either party’s primary they must register with the Democratic or Republican party. Party is not required to register and party affiliation can be changed at any time.

Voting AssistanceIf checked the applicant needs to indicate what type of assistance or if they need a specific language.

If your name or address has changedOnly required if voter is completing the form to change address or name from a previous Pennsylvania voter registration.Skip if this is the first time registering.

DeclarationBe sure application is signed and dated. Inform the applicant that they are signing to affirm their eligibility and that the information in the application is true. If unable to sign the application, a mark witnessed by another person who is not the applicant’s employer or agent of the applicant’s union will satisfy this requirement. The witness must give her name, and address. Some new citizens may not understand signature. This block can be explained as how they would write their name on a legal document or their citizenship application.

Help with this formShould be filled in if someone helped the applicant with the form or witnessed the applicant make a mark for the applicant’s signature.

Be a poll workerCompletely optional.

Instructions for Section 5:To be used if live in rural area and do not have a street address.Also used if applicant is homeless.

Election commissions must use reasonable efforts to obtain missing information from applicants. This may include using mail or phone.

Wrapping Up with Applicant• Review form for completeness before person leaves

“As a convenience for you, we will deliver to the registration office for you.”“The election commission will mail a voter identification card with your polling place usually within two weeks of receiving the application.”“If you do not receive the voter registration card in two weeks, call the office listed.”“You must bring photo ID with you the first time you vote in Pennsylvania OR have moved and will be using a new polling place.”

• Give registrant• Thank you for registering sheet that has elections commission info for your county• Or, if you will be taking the applications directly to your county offices, you can tear

off the section of the application with the list of addresses of County Voter Registration Offices. Circle the one for the applicant's county.

“Remember to vote on November 8th. Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.”

• Put completed application in envelope for safe keeping.

Confirm times for your county.

New Voters Need to Show IDTell applicants who are new voters or those who have moved and will be using a new polling place, that they will need to bring a photo ID the first time they vote. This is to provide proof that they actually live in their election district.

• Approved forms of photo identification include:• Pennsylvania driver's license or PennDOT ID card• ID issued by any Commonwealth agency• ID issued by the U.S. Government• U.S. passport• U.S. Armed Forces ID• Student ID• Employee ID

• If the applicant does not have a photo ID, they can use a non-photo identification that includes their name and address. Approved forms of non-photo identification include:• Confirmation issued by the County Voter Registration Office• Non-photo ID issued by the Commonwealth• Non-photo ID issued by the U.S. Government• Firearm permit• Current utility bill• Current bank statement• Current paycheck• Government check

How the Voting Machine Works

• A video demonstration of how to use the voting machine is available for every county in the state

• Go to the web site http://www.votespa.com and select your county.

• The demonstration also includes how to write in a candidate if you choose not to vote for those on the ballot.

Unique Situations• Homeless applicants

If the applicant is homeless, use the map on the back of the application to show where the applicant spends most of their time.• How to fill in the map:

• Write the names of the roads or streets nearest to where they live.• Draw an X to show where they live.• Use a dot to show the location of landmarks, such as schools, churches, or stores, and identify them by name.

• In prison or convicted of a felonyIf the applicant meets all other requirements, applicant may register and vote if:• Applicant is in prison awaiting trial but have not been convicted.• Applicant is in prison after being convicted of a misdemeanor only.• Applicant has been released from prison or a halfway house after completing the term of incarceration.• Applicant is on probation or released on parole.• Applicant is under house arrest.• Applicant should register at the address where applicant lives, except that applicant cannot use a prison or half-way house

address for registration

• College StudentAn applicant who is a student at an institution of higher education located within the Commonwealth may register in the district in which the applicant resides while attending the institution. • College students should be informed that they will be voting for candidates in the state and community where their college

is located. • If they would prefer to vote for candidates from their home state they can request an absentee ballot at

https://www.vote.org/absentee-ballot/

After the Event

• Deliver completed voter registration forms to elections office ASAP • If you have to mail a form to another county and have torn off the section

with the county offices, tape the application closed or put it in another envelope to mail.

• Thank volunteers, celebrate your achievements

• Complete AAUW event activity reporthttp://www.aauw.org/resource/advocacy-event-activity-report-back-form/

• Debrief and make plans for the next event.

• Publicity – press release, letters to editor, etc.

• Write an article for your branch newsletter.

Final Thoughts

• Your first voter registration event will be the hardest• Because you are getting from zero to one• And it is a steep learning curve

• Will learn something new at every event• Debrief with volunteers about what worked and what needs to change• Your process will constantly improve

• Carlisle created “voter registration in a box” and checklist• Don’t have to rush to put together an event• Won’t fret about forgetting something

• You don’t know which members will be interested

• Very rewarding activity