A Step-By-Step Guide to Running a Voter Registration Drive

Whether you’re a new voter who has recently discovered the hectic (and crazy!) world of politics and elections or an experienced 50-something year-old confused with the technology of today, this guide is for you! Below is a step-by-step guide into how to run a voter registration drive at a school. Other settings, such as places of worship, gyms, and other open, large spaces, are also great places to hold these events and many of the steps listed below can be replicated and modified to fit the details of your event. Enjoy!

Sit down and make specific goals.

The first thing that comes before anything else – finding a location, advertising, etc. – is to sit down and have a strategy for what you want to do. Write down your goals. What is it exactly that you want to do? Why do you want to do this? Outlining your goals will go a long way later when you have a better idea of what the event will look like and how it will go. Other questions you should address: Where is the ideal location of this drive? What is the maximum number of people that can fit inside that location at a time? What is the desired number of people you want to attend this event? Is the location spacious enough to meet this goal? Lots of questions to ask yourself, but all important issues that need to be addressed before you proceed. Take a couple of days to sleep on it and revise any details as you see fit

Gather a core group.

While some people may naturally want to work alone while others may have automatically flocked to a group of friends for help, it is vital to have at least a couple of people to help plan this event. Find some helpful, hard working people who can help carry out your plan! A team of teachers, fellow classmates, and administrators will make for a great school voter registration drive.

Discuss and form a channel of communication.

Now that your group has been established, make sure to set up a channel of communication where everybody in the group can be made accessible easily. Text messages, WhatsApp, Snapchat group chats, email chains, etc. are all easy, viable solutions that have been proven to work as an easy form of communication between members.

Make sure you double check the laws, rules, and restrictions on holding a voter registration drive.

Researching Arizona’s (or any states’) laws are a VERY critical aspect of having a successful drive. As with anything, but especially in the government, rules are being changed, modified, or deleted altogether at any given time, so staying up to date on the latest information is very important. A simple couple of checks and verifications throughout your planning can help ensure that you are doing things the right way. For example, the last day to register to vote in Arizona is 29 days before the election. So don’t plan a vote registration drive on October 30th! For up-to-date information, check out: https://azsos.gov/elections/about-elections/voter-registration-procedures .

Create a budget.

While it would be nice to have an event that is cost-free, the likelihood of that happening is little to none as one major aspect of having a successful drive is advertising, which usually comes with monetary strings attached. Determining how much you are willing to spend on the drive will help immensely and ensure you are not overspending. Having the entire group pitch in an equal amount might make things easier and not cause any arguments over who has donated the most to the drive.

Find a place to hold the drive.

It probably goes without saying, but finding a location is a NEED for a voter registration drive. Some tips to be mindful of, though, are to make sure that your area can hold the number of people you expect to come, or at least the number you are hoping will come. Also, make sure that the space has good lighting, air conditioning, etc. so that new voters feel welcome and comfortable when they are registering.

Start advertising.

Once you have all of the basics down- location, time, group, budget, etc. you can start to advertise and promote your drive! Making flyers these days could not be easier with a wide variety of apps and websites that can help you create eye-catching flyers that can be posted around the neighborhood, online, etc.

Find volunteers.

While you may think that you and your group will have time to register voters, much of your time will be spent making sure things run smoothly and troubleshooting. So, volunteers to help register the new voter will be necessary. Reaching out to volunteer organizations, or even voter registration groups, can help ensure that there is an ample amount of volunteers on the day of the drive to register new voters.

Hold a volunteer meeting/training (optional).

If you feel like there is enough material that volunteers need to know before the day of the drive, it may be beneficial to hold a meeting or training that can answer any questions the volunteers have and for you to explain how the event will go. Having treats like donuts, coffee, etc. can make the atmosphere more positive; they are volunteers, after all.

Execute the drive!

Now is the time! Set up your voter registration booths or tables. Make sure you have all the necessary materials, forms, and equipment. Engage with participants, answer their questions, and guide them through the registration process if required.

Follow up with the new voters.

A couple of hours or days after the drive occurs check in with the new voter and make sure they have no lingering questions. It might also be a great time to plug (if you want to do it again) that you are looking for volunteers to register the next batch of voters!

Reflect.

Reflect on the day and what happened. Was it a success? What would you change for next time? Anything you might want to add or take away? Take some notes, regardless if you plan to do it again. It’s always helpful to have takeaways from a group. Also, celebrate! You ran a voter registration drive! You are doing your part to make sure that our elections are fair and equal, the more people that are registered to vote the more that can vote! The more people that can vote the more this country will be impacted by its citizens.

Of course, running a voter registration drive takes dedication and hard work, but it is also extremely rewarding. Helping get people involved in the civic process is no easy task, but with the right strategy and group, you might be on your way to being a master of voter registration drives!