We hear loud and clear from the nonprofits we counsel around advocacy that they are overwhelmed. Adding one more activity to their list of to-dos is usually greeted with a look that says, “Are you kidding?” But we are at a point in time where our democracy in the United States is at risk. Low voter turnout both expresses and contributes to the risk. So, nonprofits who inspire their clients, their communities, their staff, their stakeholders to vote are protecting our democracy and in the long run, serving their clients and their own self-interest.
The good news is we can help make this relatively easy, staying within the boundaries of what nonprofits are clearly allowed to do.
We are not the only people sounding the alarm on democracy. A 2022 poll by Quinnipiac University found that 58% of Americans believe that the nation’s democracy is in danger. The United States ranks only 31st among fifty countries in percentage of voters casting ballots. Voter suppression efforts targeting citizens of color have worked. The Brennan Center for Justice has estimated that these efforts resulted in a loss of over fourteen million Black voters in 2022.
Adding to the urgency is the fact that just about everything nonprofits care about and do is on the ballot this year nationally, in states, and locally. From health care to Social Security to censorship to education and so much more, there are clear and dramatic choices which will be determined by those we elect in November.
We know that nonprofits don’t have extra staff, money, or resources. We know that your boards are nervous – as they should be – about engaging in anything that might violate your nonprofit status.
Here are four actions you can take right now that respect both concerns.
1. Partner with a nonpartisan voter registration organization to offer voter registration on site to your clients. We wish we could help get you Taylor Swift who managed to register 35,000 voters in one day from her Twitter account but there are many other options. A range of organizations from Nonprofit Vote to The League of Women Voters to Vote Riders to Black Voters Matter to Voto Latino can help. Vote411 has a tool that allows voters to check to see if they are registered.
2. Educate your clients and their families on their voting rights. Many people do not know what their rights are. In our own canvassing work, we have encountered formerly incarcerated individuals who do not know their right to vote. If you are in a state that has made voting more difficult with voter ID laws or shorter early voting this is especially important. Just having materials available in your waiting areas will help. These resources vary from state to state but if you can’t find them, give us a shout at info@rakoveandstrassberger.com and we’ll help.
3. Provide issues education. This one may make you (and your boards) a bit nervous. But nonprofits are absolutely allowed to do education on stands that candidates are taking on issues – just not to endorse a candidate or be partisan. You can distribute fact sheets or invite candidates to speak as long as everyone is invited. Your professional organizations may already have these ready.
4. Last but not least – voter turnout. Display information on your sites and in your facilities on early voting, mail in voting, and election day. Text your clients with reminders to vote. Offer candy to anyone who comes in with an I Voted sticker.
Your mission as a nonprofit organization is to help your clients live better lives. Helping them- and the communities, stakeholders, and staff who care about them- use their voices and exercise their rights will not only help them thrive – it will empower them to have a say on the critical issues that affect their lives and your work.
— Roberta Rakove and Suzanne Strassberger
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