VOTER REGISTRATION TRAINING FOR GROUP LEADERS AND ORGANIZERS

VOTER REGISTRATION TRAINING FOR GROUP LEADERS AND ORGANIZERS

Why We Are Here!

Responsibility Lies with Us • In the US voter registration is voluntary • The responsibility to register lies with the individual citizen, not with the government • This has led to registration inequality

Registration Inequality

Southeast, Pa Registration Inequality Emerging Electoral Majority – Minorities, Youth Emerging Majority Youth – Young Minority Women Young Renters Move Frequently

We Can Close the Gap

Voter registration is a core part of our organizing work!

Registered Voters Participate • Registered voters are our friends, family, and neighbors • Newly registered voters are highly likely to vote • Newly registered voters are school and community group involved and active participants in the community • Newly registered voters are more likely to talk about politics with family and friends

Registering voters helps us build our organization People are more likely to vote and register if they see voting as being connected to issues that they care about and people they care about. Once we register new voters we need to follow up with volunteer and member recruitment to build our teams.

STEP 1: Knowing the Laws Pennsylvania Voter Registration Laws

PA Laws and Eligibility • To register to vote in Pennsylvania, you must be: • A citizen of the United States for at least one month before the next primary, special, municipal, or general election. • A resident of Pennsylvania and the election district in which you want to register and vote for at least 30 days before the next primary, special, municipal, or general election. • At least 18 years of age on or before the day of the next primary, special, municipal, or general election. • To be eligible to vote in Primary elections in Pennsylvania, you must be: • You must be registered and enrolled in a political party to vote in that party's primary. • There are no voting restrictions based on mental restrictions • Full voting rights are restored upon release from prison per felony convictions

ID Requirements • To register individuals must provide a Pennsylvania driver’s license number or the last four digits of their social security number. If they have neither of those they will be required to bring additional means of identification the first time that they go to vote.

Laws for Solicitors • We can not deny anyone the right to register to vote. • We must turn any voter registrations that we collect in to the county board of elections within 30 days of obtaining them. • We can not help the individual fill out the form and we must identify on the form that we assisted in the process of them registering if we do

Types of Voter Registration

Key considerations when thinking about where you should register voters: • Who is going to be there? • We need to register people who are not already registered, and reregister voters who may have recently moved or changed their addresses. We want to meet unregistered voters where they are! • Are we going to be able to register a lot of people? • We need to identify events and locations that will allow us to maximize our time. • Hotspots: • Places with large crowds are often our best bet for registering a large number of people • Ex: Fairs, festivals, other area events • Places with long lines are even better, because people are willing to talk to you when they are standing in line with little else to do. • Door to door: • In select neighborhoods, door to door voter registration is also an appropriate tactic • People are already at a location and most likely to pay attention to our message

Breakout: Brainstorm voter registration opportunities in our community! • Lets take the next 5 minutes to brainstorm voter registration opportunities in our community. • Use the voter registration planning guide to map out a few locations and events in your community where you will conduct voter registration activities

Solicitation: Making the Ask

Solicitation: Key Considerations • When registering voters in a crowd you have 5 seconds or less to get their attention and make the ask • Every crowd is different and our approach should be tailored in language, content, and attitude towards the crowd that we are working. • There are only two things that are the same with every crowd: eye contact and smile!

Key pieces of the hard ask: • Build Urgency – give context. How many days are left? Why do they have to register now? Why is it important? • Bad: “Registering to vote is important. ” • Good: “There are only three days left to register, and we/x candidate is counting on you to vote. ” • Use strong language – be loud, clear, and cleaver with your ask. Try not to give people an out. • Bad: “Would you possibly maybe someday be interested in registering to vote. ” • Bad: “Do you want to register? ” • Good: “I need you to update your registration or sign a supporter card. ” • Good: “Have you moved in the last year? Yes, great, you need to update your registration every time you move. You can do that with me today. ” • Good: “Let me register you to vote, right now. ”

Key pieces of the hard ask: • Be specific – specificity increases the chance of a positive response and limits the chance of NO. • Bad: “This election is coming up sometime this Fall, it would be a good idea for you to register. ” • Good: “You need to register to vote before October 1 st – let’s get it done right now. ” • Be persistent – keep asking, every person, every time you see them. • It takes a while to build trust in some communities. • Some people need to be asked many times before they will say yes.

Making the ask, simplified: • How to Ask: The 5 Cs • Connect – Establish rapport and trust • Context – Explain the importance of registering to vote • Commit – Get a solid commitment to register • Catapult – Get them invested in our effort • Confirm – Remind them of their commitment

Breakout: Role Play – Making the Ask! • Please break in to groups of 2 and take the next 5 minutes to practice your voter registration ask • Use the sample script provided for reference

Always remember to congratulate the newly registered voter after they are registered!

Voter Registration Information • Once you have your location and ask down, the final thing to remember is that people in the community will be counting on you to be a quality source of information about voter registration. You will have to do this in concise, polite, validated way. • Know the rules – People may ask you many questions – study before going out. If you do not know an answer, take their info and get back to them. • Put it in writing –Have a voter information sheet/FAQs that you can carry with you, so that people can read the rules themselves. You should also be prepared to direct people to the Secretary of State so that they can do their own research. Having resources in a variety of languages will help to empower those with limited English proficiency to know the rules and get registered.

Voter Registration Information, Cont. • Have validators – Build trust in your communities by working with trusted community leaders. If you are hanging out with the county party committee member in your area, or local elected official, or prominent community member like a barber or church leader you have a lot more credibility in the community than if you just walk in as a stranger. Make sure that you engage the local leaders in your efforts as much as possible. • Be polite – Registering to vote can be a challenge for individuals who have limited English proficiency, a hard time reading, disabilities, or other personal challenges. It can also be intimidating for people who have made mistakes in the past. Registering to vote should be an empowering experience, so learn to notice subtle clues and respond to them in polite and supportive ways. NEVER ask someone if they are registered to vote, ask if you can help them “update” their voter registration information.

Logistics of Voter Registration

Required parts of the form: - - The Voter Registration Form Name - First Name - Last Name Eligibility - Citizen? - 18 before EDay? Reason for Registering - New Reg - Address Change - Party Change About You - Date of Birth Address Identification - Penn Drivers License - Last 4 of SS Number - If they don’t have ID or know the last 4 of their SS number they will need to bring additional ID with them on Election Day Party - This is optional and while we can’t push a party we can explain that to vote in the primary you have to be enrolled in a party Sign and Date! TIP: Highlight these fields on the form prior to doing voter reg to make it as easy as possible for new voters to register and so we don’t miss key information.

The Clipboard • Materials to consider: • Contract • To be signed and returned before leaving the staging location • Script • Voter Reg Forms • Pledge To Vote Sheet or Card • Voter Registration Laws and FAQs Sheet • Note: Samples are provided for reference

Voter Registration Management Plan and Programs

Voter Registration Management Plan and Programs • Create a data processing plan • How will data be collected from registration forms, will data be entered directly into votebuilder or a spreadsheet for follow-up and volunteer recruitment? • Your database should capture the information from each form that corresponds with the areas of the form that are required to be filled out as well as any and all contact info for the newly registered individual • What are internal norms as it comes to returning forms? • i. e We will always return forms within the week they’re collected. • Training Program for volunteers? • What training will be necessary? • I. E. Intro training, data management training, executing your own events training • Note: Use the voter registration planning guide to outline your voter registration program management program • Consider appointing a voter registration captain to take on these critical program management responsibilities

Sample Agenda for Intro Volunteer Training • Below is the sample agenda for a voter registration training that you may consider with your volunteers before they head out to do voter registration shifts • Sample agenda: • Welcome and intros – share reason for getting involved in this action (5 min) • Context for voter reg actions – why we are here? (5 min) • Review PA voter reg laws for voters and solicitors (5 min) • Review voter reg form – key pieces that need to be filled out (5 min) • Review voter reg materials and the clipboard (5 min) • Review and role play making the ask (10 min) • Review turning in and management of materials post shift (5 min) • Every volunteer should be trained before they go out and training should be conducted before every action – no exceptions!

NEXT STEPS: Planning your own voter registration event!

Voter Registration Check List: • Have you… • Found and secured a location to meet • Decided on enough voter registration sites for all of the volunteers that you will have? • Conducted a “test run” to see if the sites will be useful? (if possible) • Made a plan for volunteer recruitment • Recruited volunteers • Arranged to get your materials • Ex: VR cards, scripts, pledge sheets, FAQs, AB Apps, CTV sheet/cards, Sign-in sheets, lit, turfs (if door to door), clip boards, pens, highlighters, stickers • Made directions from your staging location to your voter registration sites

Questions? Feel free to reach out with any questions