GETTING OUT THE VOTE AMONG OUR PEERS

The role of most College Democrats chapters is to successfully and efficiently organize the students on campus, to bring out votes in each election and advocate for important issues each legislative session. Election-year organizing is especially important, given the added barriers of voter registration and new voter suppression laws. A solid GOTV plan is the best way to ensure your success on Election Day.

Step 1

Voter Registration Messaging Early Vote Get out the Vote!

Page 2

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

College Democrats of America | Electoral Programming Guide | 2012

ORGANIZING ON CAMPUS: STEP 1

GOAL: Register as many potential Democrats on campus as possible. LOGISTICS: Before conducting a voter registration drive on campus, be sure to check your
campus policies and state laws to ensure you comply with all rules and regulations. Make sure your volunteers are familiar with the voter registration form and can check to make sure new voters have registered correctly. At the end of the day, you can return your stack of completed registration forms to the appropriate department for your state.

LOCATION: On most campuses, there are multiple ideal sites to host a voter registration drive.
Many chapters choose to set up a table in a high-traffic part of campus and catch students walking to and from class. Another option is to use clipboards and go to areas where students gather, such as dining halls, recreation centers, or in line at a football game. For schools that have campus transit, put College Democrats in pairs and have them ride a bus route, registering students on their way to class. Another option is to register voters in local high schools. Most high schools offer government and economics classes, presenting a great opportunity to talk Registering 10,000 to students about the importance of civic engagement, Democrats wont do starting with voting. Senior history classes are also a any good if none of great place to register young voters. Wherever you choose, be sure to be excited and engaging. Make them show up to vote students want to talk to you!

on Election Day.

FOLLOW UP: At the end of the day, be sure to capture some crucial information before
turning in the voter registration forms. Not only do many chapters and state federations choose to keep a running total of voters registered, it is also important to collect information about who you registered to vote. Registering 10,000 Democrats wont do any good if none of them turn out to vote on Election Day. Take the time to create a spreadsheet of the voters you registered and their contact information. Be sure to contact them a few days before the election to remind them to vote and contact them again on Election Day to be sure they have cast their ballots. Depending on how many student volunteers you have available, you can remind them to vote via phone bank or email and offer rides to the polling location, if it isnt on campus.

College Democrats of America | Electoral Programming Guide | 2012

Page 3

ORGANIZING ON CAMPUS: STEP 2

GOAL: Convince moderate or independent students to vote for Democrats. CREATING PARTNERSHIPS: Many campus organizations will have a stake in major elections.
The campus NAACP, Spectrum or Gay-Straight Alliance, cultural organizations, environmental organizations and even some professional organizations are likely to get involved with issue-based campaigns. Most campuses publish a list of official student organizations on campus. Go through the list and sign up for the mailing lists of relevant organizations. These organizations typically dont take a side politically, but they will often welcome the help of College Democrats to make events successful. Creating a working relationship with other active student groups (and registering their members to vote!) will help when you want to tell students why its important to get out the vote based on specific issues.

GETTING OUT THE MESSAGE: Although many students have already made their decision, a large
number of students are generally undecided. This is your chance to tell the students on your campus why they should support the Democrats. Issue-based events are a great way for caucuses to get involved with the election process. Consider tabling, hosting a forum or debate, or thinking of a way to make a statement about a political issue. Include your friends from other organizations to make a big statement and have a bigger impact on the election!

INCLUDING FRESHMEN: Inevitably, there will be a large portion of students who will not be
reached by voter registration and partnerships. Freshmen are particularly easy to get involved since they are in a new environment and are trying to find their place on campus. Two easy ways to reach freshmen are dorm storms and class visits. Dorm storms can be used for issue-based advocacy or voter This is your chance to registration (or both!) to engage freshmen in the political tell the students on process. Going door-to-door in the dorms is a fast way to canvass a large number of students quickly. Class visits are your campus why they another way to engage students. Many history or political should support the science professors will let students register voters at the Democrats. beginning of class. Sometimes, they will even offer bonus points if students get involved with the political process.

College Democrats of America | Electoral Programming Guide | 2012

Page 4

ORGANIZING ON CAMPUS: STEP 3

GOAL: Bag as many votes as possible before the big day. KNOW THE LAWS: In many instances, public libraries are early voting poll locations, as are
courthouses, fire stations, police stations, churches and so on. Be sure to know whether or not precinct boundaries apply during Early Vote. You can help students by distributing information about what theyll need to bring with them and what theyll be able to do. Will a student ID be sufficient? Will they be able to Early voting is update their address or will they have to cast a provisional your opportunity to ballot? All of this information should be available with your portray voting as local Supervisor of Elections.

KNOW YOUR TRAVEL & DESTINATION: Is there an Early

something social, so have fun with it!

Vote location on campus? Is there a closer poll location for students living immediately off campus than those living in dorms? Is it within walking distance? (If it is, you can organize things like a March to the Polls and collaborate with other student organizations.) If its farther away, will your student government help you cover the costs of rental vans, facilitating rides to the polls?

GET CREATIVE, GET EXCITED: Can you have people take photos with their I voted stickers?
Perhaps you can have one day dedicated to Greek life outreach, another for women voters, a third for Hispanic student organizations, and so on down the line. Either way, early voting is your opportunity to portray voting as something social, so have fun with it!

College Democrats of America | Electoral Programming Guide | 2012

Page 5

ORGANIZING ON CAMPUS: STEP 4

GOAL: Get students excited about casting their ballots. GET EXCITED: This is the last big push for all your hard

work to pay off on Election Day. Host a pep rally for your candidate on campus to get students excited about voting. Invite the candidate or another elected official to speak. Do students love your mascot? Is there an athlete or wellknown person who would be willing to come get the students excited? Bring in food, music and fun to get students ready to go to the polls on Election Day.

Host a pep rally for your candidate on campus to get students excited about voting

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT: This is your chance to your campus how strongly you support
your candidate. Get as many registered students as you can to commit to vote. Make it interactive- find a way for students to show their support. They can write why they support the candidate on a large wall in a visible spot on campus, sign a banner or take a picture to post on social media sites. Get creative and show your campus that students are voting for your candidate.

GET OUT THE WORD: By now, most people have made up their minds on how they want to
vote, so spend the second half of the week on voter mobilization. Dont let people forget to go vote. Remember the list of students you registered over the past month? Pull that list out, order some pizza and grab some friends to phone bank. Remind students not only to go vote, but make sure Dont let students they have proper identification, know their polling forget to vote! locations and have a ride to the polls. Dont have the time or base to phone bank? Send out a reminder email or text message.

College Democrats of America | Electoral Programming Guide | 2012

Page 6

ORGANIZING ON CAMPUS: STEP 4

RIDES TO THE POLLS: After all of your voter registration and election week voter
contact, you should have a pretty solid list of people who would like rides to the polls. Get out their votes! Chalk your car and show your support while you take voters to cast their ballots. If you get finished Chalk your car and with your voter list and still have time, go to areas where students congregate and start asking people if they need a show your support ride to vote.

PHONE BANKING: If you have students who dont have

vehicles or if you have a campus that is a polling location, you can spend Election Day calling supporters to make sure theyve cast their ballots. Call your list of registered voters and contact the candidate to see if they can pull a list of voters in the community.

while you take voters to cast their ballots.

POLL STRIKING: Some campaigns need volunteer poll strikers, people who stay at the
polling locations and check off supporters as they vote. Check with the campaign and see what else they may need you to do on the big day.

WATCH PARTY! After the polls are closed and

the work is done, kick back with friends and watch the results roll in. Everyone can relax, eat and watch the culmination of all your hard work. Make this a time to decompress, relax and have fun with your College Democrat friends!

After the polls are closed and the work is done, kick back with friends and watch the results roll in

College Democrats of America | Electoral Programming Guide | 2012

Page 7

MAKING A BIG PUSH TO WIN A CLOSE RACE

Campaign invasions are a great way to bring students together from around the state to campaign for a single candidate or issue, especially in a close district. Door-to-door canvassing has a high impact on voters, turning out one additional voter per 14 contacts (plus spillover), according to a study by the Brookings Institute. Not only do voters get to put a face with the campaign, they are able to engage in an active conversation with a campaign representative, which makes them feel their voice is being heard. A team of young, enthusiastic canvassers can make a measurable difference to put a candidate in office. Although door-to-door canvassing has a high impact, it is costly in terms of people, money and time.

HOW DO WE PLAN A CAMPAIGN INVASION?

Before you begin promoting the campaign invasion among students, you should first decide which race or races to target. Typically, the best campaign invasions are centered on candidates who excite and energize the students. When you contact the campaign to determine if a campaign invasion is a viable field initiative, the campaign staff should be able to tell you what resources the campaign will be able to contribute and which precincts need to be targeted, as well as help with a script, cutting turf, and other logistical needs for the invasion. If at all possible, have the campaign provide poll numbers before and after the invasion to see what a huge impact the students were able to make!

The best campaign invasions are centered on candidates who excite and energize the students.

Check out the Campaign Invasion Planner at the end of the guide for best practices.

HOW DO WE GET STUDENTS EXCITED ABOUT A CAMPAIGN INVASION?

To generate student interest, plan the campaign invasion long enough in advance to allow students time to fit it in their schedule. Planning a social event in the evening after the canvass is over is a great way to get students to make friendships in other chapters, which will increase the likelihood of students coming to another campaign invasion or statewide event in the future. Especially considering tight student budgets, keeping the cost down is always a great way to include as many students as possible. Keep reading to learn about how to fundraise for your campaign invasion!

College Democrats of America | Electoral Programming Guide | 2012

Page 8

MAKING A BIG PUSH TO WIN A CLOSE RACE

WHAT TYPE OF CAMPAIGN INVASION SHOULD WE HAVE?
Campaign invasions can be done as a statewide initiative, among a coalition of close chapters or as a single chapter. This will depend mostly on the geographic factors unique to your state. If you live in a smaller state, try to encourage as many chapters to participate as possible to make the greatest impact. In larger states, consider helping a few chapters coordinate an invasion in an area central to their campuses, or coordinate a simultaneous phone bank initiative to allow other chapters to participate, even if they cant attend in person. If you live in a smaller state, plan a day trip so students can meet in the early afternoon, canvass all day, then have dinner and head home. Taking away the overnight expense will allow students to do multiple campaign invasions leading into an election. If you live in a bigger state or need a two-day push, consider asking volunteers to allow students to fill their living rooms with air mattresses and sleeping bags to cut out the hotel cost. If this is not a possibility, consider various fundraising outlets to raise money for hotel rooms.

College Democrats have a history of working together to get out the vote in critical swing states during presidential elections.

HOW DO WE PLAN A CAMPAIGN INVASION FOR A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION?

In-state invasions for state candidates arent your only option. College Democrats have a history of working together, especially to get out the vote in critical swing states during presidential elections. If youre in a solid red or blue state and want to canvass for a presidential candidate, consider planning a campaign invasion into a neighboring swing state to make the most impact. Work with the College and Young Democrats in that state to help plan the logistics of the invasion. The students in the state will know the details best. They will prove to be a valuable resource. Planning with the campaign in that state and the state Democratic Party will also help you find useful resources.

College Democrats of America | Electoral Programming Guide | 2012

Page 9

MAKING A BIG PUSH TO WIN A CLOSE RACE

HOW DO WE FUND A CAMPAIGN INVASION?
Often, the campaign will be able to help offset the cost of the invasion for your state or chapter. Sometimes you can even get campaign volunteers to donate housing, food, or other resources. Another great way to find funding is to look to other community members who have a stake in the election, such as small businesses, law firms, or local unions. The state federation or chapter may be able to utilize pre-established contacts in many of these areas. If not, the state party or the campaign may be able to facilitate a conversation between potential donors and the development director, which will lend credibility to the initiative. Anytime you do fundraising for a specific initiative, be sure to have a written plan to provide a potential donor. This plan should include the dates of the invasion, impact goals, number of students expected to participate, as well as a few details about the candidate and how the candidate will support the donor. For example, if you are asking a local union for a donation, include a small section discussing the Need help writing a fundraising candidates pro-union voting record and campaign pledges to support unionized letter? Use the sample at the end of labor. the guide for inspiration.

WHAT DO WE DO AFTER THE CAMPAIGN INVASION IS OVER?

After you wrap up the campaign invasion, spend a short time focusing on the metrics, or the numbers that make the invasion real. Count how many doors you knocked, voters you registered, and volunteers you signed up. Be sure to include how many students participated and a final copy of the sources and uses of revenue. Dont forget to send thank-you cards to anyone who helped make your campaign invasion a success, especially your donors! As always, emphasize the success of your campaign invasion and the impact you were able to make on the election, as well as your appreciation for the donors continued support. Be sure to promote your success via social media outlets too! Post pictures and personal stories from voters and volunteers that show everyone what a great time you had and how successful the trip was using real numbers.

Dont forget the thank you note! View a sample at the end of the guide.

College Democrats of America | Electoral Programming Guide | 2012

Page 10

MAKING SURE YOUR INVASION IS ON TRACK

THE CAMPAIGN: WHICH CAMPAIGN WILL YOU TARGET?
YOURE GREAT IF: The candidate is directly linked to the College Democrats. The race is competitive and the campaign invasion has a high chance of making a difference on Election Day. The campaign is available to offer support and resources as you plan the invasion. A member of the campaign staff will be available to assist with the invasion throughout the actual event. YOURE GOOD IF: The candidate is exciting to students. The race is competitive and students can be a part of the campaigns final push to a win. The campaign is able to provide campaign materials and cut turf for the invasion. YOU SHOULD RECONSIDER IF: The campaign is sluggish about returning calls or emails throughout the planning process. The race is not competitive anymore. If there is a clear winner, consider using your resources in a race that needs an extra push. The campaign seems unorganized in their field campaign or is unable to provide turf cuts for canvassing.

THE STUDENTS: WHO WILL COME TO THE INVASION?

YOURE GREAT IF: Students are excited about the invasion and a lot of students from multiple chapters are able to attend. You have your event publicized on traditional and social media, both by the College Democrats and the campaign itself. YOURE GOOD IF: You have a smaller group that is very excited about the invasion. Even a group of 5-10 students can have an impact in a close race. You have a Facebook event and a hashtag to allow students to communicate with each other and the public about the invasion. YOU SHOULD RECONSIDER IF: Student support and enthusiasm seem low. Your chapter or state lacks the necessary communication media to promote the event.

College Democrats of America | Electoral Programming Guide | 2012

Page 11

MAKING SURE YOUR INVASION IS ON TRACK

TRAINING: HOW WILL YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO?
YOURE GREAT IF: The campaign is willing to provide a canvassing training for students before the campaign invasion. You have an experienced group of canvassers. YOURE GOOD IF: The campaign is willing to provide a canvassing training during the invasion before they start canvassing. You have several students with experience canvassing, who will be able to help others learn the ropes. YOU SHOULD RECONSIDER IF: The campaign wont be able to provide training for your canvassers. The students are nervous about canvassing and you lack experienced canvassers to lead the group.

FUNDING: HOW WILL THE CAMPAIGN INVASION BE FINANCED?

YOURE GREAT IF: The cost is low to zero for students. The entire cost of the trip can be covered via cash or in-kind donations. The campaign is able to offset the cost of the invasion in some way. YOURE GOOD IF: The cost is minimal to moderate for students. A major aspect of the trip can be offset, via cash or in-kind donations. The state or chapter has budgeted funding available to help with this sort of event. YOU SHOULD RECONSIDER IF: The cost appears to be a burden for students. The campaign is unable to offset the cost. Donors arent excited about helping fund the campaign invasion.

College Democrats of America | Electoral Programming Guide | 2012

Page 12

MAKING SURE YOUR INVASION IS ON TRACK

LODGING: WHERE WILL STUDENTS STAY?
YOURE GREAT IF: You can get campaign volunteers or local College Democrats to provide free couches and floors for the students. You can get a donor to cover the cost of your lodging. YOURE GOOD IF: You can get lodging partially covered, either via donations or volunteer housing. There are affordable hotel options in the area that wont break the bank for students. The students dont mind sleeping in the car. YOU SHOULD RECONSIDER IF: The cost of housing is likely to be high and come out of students pockets. There is an absence of low-cost lodging in the area.

TRAVEL: HOW WILL STUDENTS GET TO AND FROM THE CAMPAIGN INVASION?
YOURE GREAT IF: There are affordable public transportation options to get students to and from the invasion. A commercial vehicle is available to borrow from another organization or the state party. You can get donors to cover the cost of gas, or get gas cards as in-kind donations. YOURE GOOD IF: Students are willing to drive their personal vehicles. Donors are able to offset the cost of travel and students are able to split the remaining cost. YOU SHOULD RECONSIDER IF: There is no viable public transportation option and students dont have personal vehicles. Donations arent available and the cost of travel is too high for students to cover independently

College Democrats of America | Electoral Programming Guide | 2012

Page 13

RAISING MONEY FOR YOUR CAMPAIGN INVASION

REMEMBER: Letters are great for mass-asks, but its always best to talk to your donors one-onone, especially the ones you are sure will donate. If that isnt possible, talking on the phone is the next best option. Letters often get tossed aside and go unanswered. (Date) Dear (Potential Donor): With so much on the line this election season, we must have all hands on deck leading into November. As you know, the margin is closing and (Candidate) has a great chance of unseating the GOP incumbent, a man who has spent 10 years in Washington fighting for corporate profits over the people of this district. (Candidate) has pledged to support education, social service programs, and fairness for all Americans, both in our state and across the nation. The College Democrats are excited to spend a day in support of (Candidate). We have a group of (Number) students from around the state ready to put boots on the ground the weekend of (Date). We want to knock on enough doors to make a difference in this race and ensure a victory for (Candidate) on November 6. Were willing to do the work, but we need your help to make the biggest impact. Could you offset the cost of our trip by donating $100? We know the youth voice is an important one and your contribution will help give us a megaphone. Your donation may be mailed to (address) or you may contribute online at (website). We are so excited to unite and show our support for (Candidate). Thank you in advance for all your support. We cant wait to share our success when we return. Democratically yours, (Signature) (Name) (Title)

College Democrats of America | Electoral Programming Guide | 2012

Page 14

THANK THEM AND KEEP THEM DONATING

SEND A PICTURE: Send a picture with your thank-you card or letter to show your donor how much fun the group had on the trip. SIGN THE LETTER: Pass the thank-you card around during the campaign invasion and let everyone sign the card. Letting each student show their gratitude makes a great statement to the donor. CAPTURE THEIR INFORMATION: Was this a first-time donor? Make sure you keep up with the donors information for next time you plan a similar event.

(Date) Dear (Donor), On behalf of the (State or Chapter) College Democrats, the Executive Board, and the students who participated in our campaign invasion, we would like to thank you for your generous donation that made our trip to canvass for (Candidate) possible. Without your support, we never would have been able to knock on (Number) doors, register (Number) voters, and do our part to turn out support for (Candidate) on November 6. We are so grateful for this wonderful opportunity and cant thank you enough for your generous support. Sincerely, (Signature) (Name) (Title)

College Democrats of America | Electoral Programming Guide | 2012

Page 15