Nonprofit Nonpartisan Voter Engagement Guide

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Nonprofits are trusted sources of nonpartisan resources. This Voter Engagement Guide provides a roadmap of how charitable nonprofits can effectively engage in elections on a nonpartisan basis, leverage your networks for greater impact, and build relationships with elected officials. Voting is something we can’t take for granted. Nonprofit organizations have a critical role to play in promoting voting as a safe and accessible activity to strengthen our communities.

Voter Engagement Guide

Nonprofits are trusted sources of nonpartisan resources. This Voter Engagement Guide provides a roadmap for how charitable nonprofits can effectively engage in elections on a nonpartisan basis.

Download the Guide

Hear about the Voter Engagement Guide and the most frequently asked questions in the Nonpartisan Voter Engagement "How To" for Nonprofits webinar (48:34) and slides.

Why It Matters

Voting is a fundamental right. Every eligible voter should have a say in their own future. Active voter participation builds healthier communities. People who vote are more likely to volunteer, advocate, or be civically active in other ways. Elected officials are more likely to respond to the needs and concerns of neighborhoods that turn out on Election Day, and they are more responsive to organizations that promote voting.

Where We Stand

Voting should be easy in our country, but many people face barriers. Nonprofits can help. Research proves that when nonprofits encourage voting – on a nonpartisan basis, people vote at significantly higher levels than if nonprofits sat on the sidelines and did nothing. When nonprofits encourage people to vote, it’s not an empty “feel good” activity. It truly makes a difference when people know they matter.

~Tim Delaney, Former President and CEO, National Council of Nonprofits

What’s Inside

Rules of nonpartisanship
Make a plan
Talking to potential voters
Permitted activities