` Get Out the Vote! How Community Members and Organizations Can Organize GOTV Drives www.lwvcharleston.org @LWVCharleston
What if we had an election and nobody voted? Our democracy would crumble. 2
Because in our democracy: Voters are the bricks and mortar of our nation. When we VOTE one by one we build our country and way of life.
Making Democracy Work: Four Cornerstones Understanding your government and why your vote matters Knowing the issues and advocating for what you believe is important Registering to vote and encouraging others to register too Voting and encouraging others to vote too
How do we get more people wearing these stickers???
How many people vote in our elections? 6
How many people vote in our elections? 7
How many people vote in our elections? 8
Why don t people vote? Research from the PEW Research Center points to these factors. Other research suggests voters don t feel informed enough on the candidates or issues to cast a vote. US Census Bureau data also shows that an illness or disability keeps about 10% of voters home. An additional 10% report being out of town at election time. These last two groups should be encouraged to vote absentee.
What if a voter says they don t like the candidates or issues? Remind voters that they don t have to vote in every race there are often several races and even referenda on the ballot. There is going to be a winner in every race, and it is better to have input than not. A lot is at stake with state and local laws Your Vote is Your Voice! Politicians are more responsive to those who participate and vote. Writing in a candidate or choosing a thirdparty candidate is an option. It hasn t been too long ago that many of us were not ALLOWED to vote don t take this for granted!
Voting Absentee in SC Must fill out an application for a ballot first (in advance) Acceptable reasons to vote absentee include being 65+, being on vacation at time of election, being disabled, and being a person who for reasons of employment will not be able to vote on election day After turning in the application, a ballot will be mailed to you Return the ballot by mail or in person before 7pm on the day of the election. Follow all rules (witness signature, ballot inside the two folders, etc)
Get Out the Vote Drives GOTV Drives give elections, candidates, and issues visibility. They include: Identifying who your potential voters may be o Drop-Off Voters o Organization membership and volunteers Planning ways to engage your potential voters Using best practices to ensure voters get up, go out, and vote!
Why are GOTV Drives Effective? Studies indicate: Voting is habit-forming Voting is Contagious" Potential voters respond to personal contact from people they know
Two General Types of GOTV Drives CAMPAIGN STYLE This type of GOTV drive is a longer-term effort. It can be very effective but requires time and resources. Typically includes accessing voter files and canvassing. ` NONPROFIT OR COMMUNITY-BASED This type of effort can be scaled depending on resources, and may focus on the time period closer to the election. It may target those who you are typically in contact with already. 14
Campaign-Style GOTV Drive Studies Indicate: A well-organized effort can gain a candidate as much as 9% points in a campaign Door-to-door canvassing increases turnout among the contacted households by around 4.3 % This type of drive can make a difference: one vote for every 15 door knocks 189 pieces of direct mail or 35 phone calls per vote
GOTV Team Responsibilities In a campaign-style effort you should: Form your team well in advance of the election Assign leadership roles, which should include volunteer team leaders and a data manager (to track your outreach efforts) Develop a plan and timeline for reaching voters Seek out and identify real or potential supporters and voters. This may include purchasing voter rolls from the Board of Elections, but will also include your own network of volunteers, staff, and/or membership
Contacting Potential Voters In a campaign-style effort: Maintain a list of voters and all contact information (phone numbers, emails, addresses) Determine modes of contact; multiple touches are best: 1. Door-to-door most effective but also most time-consuming 2. Phone calls should include asking the voter to form a plan for election day 3. Mailers Will you develop materials to send? 4. Literature Drop includes door hangers 5. Email An email the day before the election with polling locations or other helpful info is a great reminder!
Troubleshooting for your Voters!!! In any GOTV effort, helping your potential voter overcome obstacles may be key: Do voters need assistance getting to the polls? Will you help provide transportation or direct them to a group that does? Do they need information on how to vote absentee? Do they need help learning about candidates, polling places, getting their registration status or seeing a sample ballot? www.vote411.org is a great resource.
Troubleshooting for your Voters!!! In any GOTV effort, helping your potential voter overcome obstacles may be key, cont : Studies show that contacting voters before the election and guiding them through the logistical details of their plans for voting is more effective than just asking them if they plan to vote. Ask voters when they intend to go to the polls, how they will get there, and who they will go with. If possible: Provide maps to the polls, help organize transportation, and identify or provide babysitting services.
Community- Based GOTV Drives Non-traditional GOTV drives can take many forms. The following ideas are for non-profits or business organizations, but many can also be implemented by individuals. 20
Reaching Potential Voters In a business, non-profit, or faith-based setting: Put election reminders in all of your communications. Have your CEO/ED write an email about the importance of voting. Have a staff/membership education activity on a ballot measure or on the election s impact on the community you work with. Circulate a sample ballot or nonpartisan voters guide. Put the www.scvotes.org or www.vote411.org widget on the front page of your website and include links on your social media pages.
Reaching Potential Voters, cont. In a business, non-profit, or faith-based setting: Use your mission to highlight what is at stake in an election, and give concrete examples of how your organization, members, and clients may be impacted. Sponsor or co-sponsor candidate forums, or invite candidates to your organization. Reach out to allied groups to form get-out-the-vote coalitions. Make the election visible in your workplace and in your community.
What Else Can Individuals Do? Use neighborhood social networks such as NextDoor to encourage neighbors to vote and to give them election information. Have a postcard writing party and distribute them in your neighborhood:
Sources: Get Out the Vote Tools League Management Site - The LWV forum.lwv.org/ category/member-resources/our-work/voters.../get-out-vote-tools Every Campaign's Guide to Getting Out the Vote - Political Resources https://politicalresources.com/.../get-out-the-vote.../147-every-campaign-s-guide-togetti... Lessons from GOTV experiments Institution for Social and Policy isps.yale.edu/node/16698 Seven Tips on Getting Out the Vote - Nonprofit VOTE www.nonprofitvote.org/documents/2012/.../seven-principles-of-getting-out-the-vote... Research-Backed Ways to Get Out the Vote Stanford Graduate https:// www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/research-backed-ways-get-out-vote
Sources: 2014 and 2016 Voter Turnout data: https://www.scvotes.org/election-results 2017 Voter Turnout data for Charleston County: https://www.charlestoncounty.org/departments/bevr/files/ MU110717_EL45.htm