Our Homes, Our Votes A GUIDE TO VOTER ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES FOR NONPROFIT HOUSING PROVIDERS AND RESIDENT ORGANIZATIONS By Joey Lindstrom, Director for Field our blog or in other Organizing, NLIHC and Olivia Arena, NLIHC publications Housing Advocacy Organizer, NLIHC such as Tenant Talk. Call NLIHC’s ur Homes, Our Votes is NLIHC’s effort Field Team at 202- to expand election engagement work 662-1530, or email conducted by community organizations us at outreach@ Odedicated to expanding affordable housing. This nlihc.org. guide is designed to help you through the steps of planning your agency’s election engagement WHY ENGAGE IN ELECTION work. The materials presented here offer WORK? resources for organizations seeking to engage Raising housing on the national agenda will traditionally underrepresented people in the happen only when candidates for elected office civic process. Be sure to visit www.ourhomes- understand that the issue of affordable housing ourvotes.org for the most updated materials and is important to voters. At the same time, it is announcements. vital that low-income voters understand how The Our Homes, Our Votes Guide provides an the decisions made by federal elected officials overview of the steps necessary to implement directly affect their lives, know how to register to a campaign to integrate election engagement vote, and know how to get to the polls on Election work without overtaxing staff or resources Day. and while staying within legal guidelines for Census data confirm that low-income voters are nonprofits. This document outlines strategies to registered and vote at lower rates than higher engage with voters, your networks and partners, income citizens. While 85% of people with and candidates in the three phases of election incomes over $100,000 were registered to vote engagement – voter registration, education, and in 2016 and 74% voted, just 60% of people with mobilization. incomes below $20,000 were registered, and The Our Homes, Our Votes website includes a only 38% actually voted (U.S. Census Bureau. complementary set of resources, including Voting and Registration in the Election of November an interactive election engagement plan that 2016, May 2017). presents a menu of election activities for Low-income people face several challenges to your group to consider. Your organization voting, such as less-flexible work schedules that may or may not be able to undertake all the may not allow time off to vote, more difficulty suggested activities, so plan according to obtaining legal identification, transportation available resources. If this is your first election impediments that may make getting to the polls engagement project, remember to think long- more difficult, and a greater likelihood of having term. It is usually best to start small and build been given misinformation about their rights as your project over several election cycles. voters. People experiencing homelessness, ex- Please contact NLIHC for support and offenders, and survivors of a natural disaster may information sharing if you are conducting a face especially tough barriers to voting. voter engagement effort so that we can provide Nonprofit organizations, which benefit from close assistance, connect you with helpful resources, ties with their clients, are a natural fit in helping and/or spotlight your election-related work on

NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION 2–59 people overcome these challenges. Among the elections. many benefits of election engagement: To support state and local election engagement • Residents engage in civic life and learn how work, NLIHC provided grants to local partners, decisions of elected officials affect their lives. produced a toolkit with resources, and held ongoing webinars to facilitate cross-network • The issue of homelessness and housing learning. NLIHC convened the Housing Providers scarcity is elevated in public debate. Council to provide targeted assistance to local • Elected officials become educated on low- providers interested in voter registration, income housing issues and on how their education, and mobilization. A later section in the decisions affect residents. Advocates’ Guide contains guidance for providers • Influential relationships are built with elected hoping to engage in election work. More broadly, officials. NLIHC produced election engagement resources for use in communities across the country; these • Impacted people can develop leadership materials included infographics, a website with skills. state-specific election information and deadlines, • Positive press is earned for the program or and guidance on topics ranging from conducting project. candidate surveys to organizing transportation on election day. These resources can be found online OUR HOMES OUR VOTES 2020 at www.ourhomes-ourvotes.org. Also on the EFFORTS website are recordings of the monthly webinar Our Home, Our Votes: 2020, NLIHC’s nonpartisan series “Third Thursdays at Three,” as a resource voter and candidate engagement project, for further learning. successfully raised the visibility of the affordable housing and homelessness crisis through PLANNING ELECTION WORK election engagement efforts at all levels. The Nonprofit organizations can, and should, engage campaign focused on three aspects of election in nonpartisan election-related activity, including engagement: registration, education, and voter registration, education, and mobilization. mobilization. These efforts included engaging To help determine a course for election activities, with presidential candidates, creating resources consider engagement with three audiences: for adaptation by state and local organizers, and voters, networks and partners, and candidates. supporting housing providers in implementing Depending on your audience, resources, and voter registration and mobilization efforts. timeline, you can assess how to best focus your efforts. If you plan to conduct voter engagement, At the national level, NLIHC engaged presidential you will want to think of your work in parts – candidates around the critical need for more registration, education, and mobilization. socially just solutions to the affordable housing and homelessness crisis. Throughout the 2020 Organizations should be mindful of legal primary season, the campaign encouraged considerations and organizational capacity candidates to focus on the urgent need to when scoping out election engagement work address the affordable housing crisis. Prior to the and deciding where to focus their attention. For democratic primary debates, more than 1,000 example, in designing a plan for engagement organizations signed a letter urging moderators work, organizations should assess and familiarize to ask a question specifically about housing. To themselves with community needs, time build momentum, the letter also ran as a full- constraints, staff and volunteer time, available page advertisement in the Los Angeles Times and funding, and potential partnerships. the Des Moines Register. While these strategies An important first step is understanding were targeted at presidential candidates, they legal parameters for nonprofit engagement can also be adapted for use in state and local in nonpartisan election-related activities

2–60 2021 ADVOCATES’ GUIDE and identifying any local guidelines on voter precinct in which that address is located. engagement. Your local Board of Elections, • Brennan Center for Justice at New York Secretary of State, or County Clerk’s office can University School of Law, www.brennancenter. offer guidance on important voter engagement org details and deadlines specific to your locality. The Brennan Center for Justice understands Legally Speaking that voting is the foundation of our In approaching voter engagement activities, democracy. They fight to preserve and expand nonprofit organizations should become familiar the right to vote for every eligible citizen. with legal parameters around election work. Through practical policy proposals, litigation, The basic rule is that 501(c)(3) organizations advocacy, and communications, the Brennan cannot in any way support or oppose candidates Center works to make sure that voting is free, or political parties. 501(c)(3) organizations fair, and accessible for all Americans. They can register and educate voters, engage with track and publish analyses of voting rights candidates on issues, host election-related policies in every state legislature across the public events, and get voters to the polls. While country. 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations cannot endorse • Fair Elections Center, www.fairelectionscenter. candidates, you can endorse ballot initiatives org that fit within your organizational mission. Engagement on ballot initiatives is thought of Fair Elections Center is a national, as lobbying on a bill, but with the voters acting nonpartisan voting rights, legal support and as the legislators. Finally, if any staff member election reform organization whose mission engages in partisan political activities, they must is to remove barriers to registration and do so without representing the organization or voting for traditionally underrepresented using organizational resources. For detailed legal constituencies. Fair Elections Center works guidance, you may want to consult: to improve overall election administration through reforms. They also provide legal and • Nonprofit VOTE, www.nonprofitvote.org technical assistance to voter mobilization Specifically, read their comprehensive legal organizations. Their state-specific resources guide on what nonprofits can and cannot do: include information on voter registration Nonprofits, Voting, and Elections. deadlines, ID requirements for voting, and how to vote early or by mail in any • Bolder Advocacy, www.bolderadvocacy.org. state. For more information, visit: www. Through their Bolder Advocacy campaign, fairelectionsnetwork.com. Alliance for Justice (AFJ) works to ensure • Vote Early Day, www.voteearlyday.org that nonprofit groups are up to date on rules governing campaign involvement. Review Vote Early Day is a movement of their materials and sign up for upcoming organizations, businesses, media companies, webinars at www.bolderadvocacy.org. technology platforms, election administrators, and creators that work to ensure Americans • League of Women Voters, www.vote411.org. know their options to vote early. Because The League offers Vote411.org, an online early voting rules vary widely by locality, Vote resource providing nonpartisan information Early Day is committed to sharing accurate to the public, with both general and state- information with Americans. Vote Early Day specific information on all aspects of the has materials to engage your network, plan election process. An important component voter engagement events, and find state of Vote411.org is the polling place locator, specific voting rules. which enables users to type in their address • HUD, www.hud.gov. and retrieve the polling location for the voting

NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION 2–61 Public housing agencies are often under the Consider Resources impression that they are not able to register Whether simple or expansive, all voter residents to vote. That is not the case; in engagement projects will include some fact, HUD issued a Notice (FR-3968-N-01) investment of resources. You should assess your in 1996 that encouraged housing agencies, existing resources to determine the scope of Indian housing authorities, and resident your election involvement. Once you know what management companies to become involved you would like to accomplish, plan out how to in voter registration activities. maximize staff and volunteer capacity. You will Organizations with specific types of federal want to delegate tasks to ensure that everyone funding might have additional limitations on has a role in realizing your election goals. There electoral engagement. After consulting the above may be opportunities to leverage partnerships or resources, organizations with additional legal bolster ongoing efforts. Other organizations may questions are encouraged to contact an attorney have resources that your organization can access. who specializes in election law. It is important to Student groups may be interested in registering remember that 501(c)(3) organizations cannot voters as part of a community service project or a consult with campaign staff or political parties, civic group may already be providing rides to the even on simple technical questions. polls and could include your clients in its plans. Remember to partner only with nonpartisan Get to Know Your Local Election Officials organizations. It is important to establish relationships with In allocating resources, identify potential funding your local election officials. Your local Board sources for your project or in-kind donations. of Elections or County Clerk’s office can be a Funding will potentially cover things like voter wealth of information as you plan to register low- databases, supplies, transportation, training, and income renters to vote. Because voter registration events. Other organizations may have resources specifics differ by state, you will want to check that your organization can access such as with your local officials about voting options meeting space, access to volunteers, or machines (mail-in, absentee, early, and in-person) and for printing materials. Take time to gather important deadlines for the general election in information on existing election efforts and your state. You will also want to inquire about identifying critical gaps where you could plug in. identification requirements for registration and voting. Ask whether anyone can register voters in your state or whether a person must first become VOTER ENGAGEMENT: BEFORE deputized or meet other requirements. YOU START Once you understand local voter registration If you are planning on voter engagement, you can guidelines, you can begin preparing for outreach request the voter rolls for your community so you efforts. You will want to prepare in several ways: will know who in your target audience is already registered. There may be a small charge for this, Set Goals but you can use this list to determine which of Setting goals for voter registration, education, your residents and clients are already registered and mobilization can be an important part of your and which need to change their official voting plan. The staff and volunteers involved in the address. Request enough voter registration forms project will have something to work toward and to meet your registration goals. you will have a way to evaluate your project after In many places, the role of the Board of Elections the election. In setting goals for voter registration will be conducted out of the office of the County consider the percentage of your clients you or City Clerk. Please contact NLIHC if you need would like to engage and if you will also register help determining who is the best local authority members of the community, beyond those served for your organization. by your programs. When determining the pace at

2–62 2021 ADVOCATES’ GUIDE which you need to register voters, consider the residents in all states who are unable to get to amount of time remaining prior to registration the polls on Election Day. In some states, there deadlines. You will also want to ensure that staff is no reason required for absentee voting and all or volunteers conducting registration meet local voters have the option to vote by absentee ballot requirements and have been adequately trained. or to vote before Election Day. Providing your The Our Homes, Our Votes Engagement Plan, which clients with absentee ballot request forms or can be found online at www.ourhomes-ourvotes. helping them to take advantage of early voting, if org/additional-resources, provides a framework available, is a great way to increase voter turnout. for setting these goals. Voting by absentee ballots generally involves two steps. First, voters fill out forms requesting their Consider Early Vote and Absentee Ballots ballots. Once they receive their ballots, voters fill In planning voter registration activities, consider them out and return them. opportunities for early voting and absentee voting, if available in your state. Consider Offer Registration Trainings facilitating these options for the people your Residents and staff who plan to register voters organization serves. Again, your local Board of will often benefit from receiving training on the Elections can share information on restrictions process. You may want to bring in someone from and requirements in your state. People with the local Board of Elections or County Clerk’s low incomes often have more rigid work hours, office who can explain the state’s registration limited transportation options, and challenging requirements and how voter registration forms childcare responsibilities. Because so many must be filled out. It can also help to spend a people will have already cast their votes, early bit of time role-playing so that people who are voting usually provides for much shorter lines registering voters are not discouraged when both at the early voting site and at the polls on confronted with apathy. Election Day. Long lines are a barrier to voting, Keep Records and they are more common in voting precincts that are predominantly populated by people It is crucial to have a plan for how you will keep of color. Voting early also allows voters more a record of who you have registered to vote, as time to address potential registration errors, well as who is already registered, so that you will discrepancies for voters who have recently be able to contact these people as part of your moved, or additional time for voters that do not mobilization activities. You will be able to compile have the correct documentation to acquire them. a list of residents who are already registered from the voter rolls you acquire from your local Board Much like voter mobilization on Election Day, of Elections. early voting requires an effective campaign for it to have the highest impact. You may have to For new registrants, there are two ways to collect explain early voting to new voters, especially this information. One easy way, if allowed by the because early voting sites may differ from laws in your state, is to collect voter registration Election Day polling locations. For early voting, forms from new registrants, then photocopy the consider coordinating rides to early voting sites forms before mailing them in (note that some or holding ballot parties where voters gather to states require forms to be returned within a go and vote as a group, perhaps after a discussion specific number of days after they have been of affordable housing issues. Where it is allowed, completed). This also allows you to review and you might also want to send volunteers to gather catch mistakes before a form is submitted. You early voting ballots and submit them to your local may also ask registrants to fill out two-part clerk’s office. pledge cards. They will keep the half of the card that reminds them of their pledge to vote and you Another potential voting option is absentee will keep the half with their contact information. voting. Absentee ballots can be requested by Once you have collected voters’ information, it is

NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION 2–63 important to enter it into a database so the data through a door-to-door campaign. If your agency can be easily accessed for mobilization purposes. is a housing provider or a resident council, such a campaign can be especially effective. REGISTERING VOTERS In particular, resident leaders can volunteer Once you know the voting guidelines for your to receive training and serve as ‘building state, have set registration goals for your agency, captains’ or ‘floor captains.’ Captains can take on and provided trainings, you are ready to begin responsibility for registering, keeping registration registering voters. In registering low-income records, and then turning out the people in their voters, you may be faced with voter apathy and building or on their floor, etc. Such a system can frustration. To overcome these challenges, use be a great way to get residents or clients involved positive messaging, turn frustrations into a while ensuring that staff does not become reason to vote, and remind reenters that they overwhelmed with additional responsibilities. have something at stake. There have been The key is to have personal and organized contact numerous studies that indicate low-income with potential voters by people they know or people are more likely to register to vote and trust. Especially in this type of campaign, you turnout on Election Day if they are engaged will want to use the voter list from your county to with a positive message. Remind low-income see who in your buildings is already registered or renters that their vote is about a new future for whose registration needs updating. Also, consider their neighborhood, community, or family. If offering public recognition to those who register you encounter frustrated voters, pivot to discuss the most voters or highest percentage in their solutions to the problems they are describing. area. There are several ways, that vary in the level Go into the Community of involvement required, to approach voter Finally, especially if you have a smaller registration. membership or client base, you may also want to think about having your volunteers reach out Fit Voter Registration into Your Agency’s Regular into the community to register other low-income, Contact with Residents homeless, or underrepresented people. Consider The first option is to incorporate registration staffing voter registration and information tables into day-to-day activities that already take at community events. Also, make sure to promote place at your agency. Registration can usually your voter registration efforts through your be incorporated with few resources and little website and other social media platforms. Do not hassle into the intake process, training sessions, forget to make sure that everyone on the staff and resident association meetings, and any other board is also registered! meetings of low-income renters.

Plan Specific Voter Registration Activities EDUCATING VOTERS A second way to think about registration at your Once voters are registered, they need to be agency is to plan special registration activities or familiar with voting logistics, their rights as campaigns. Many organizations have had success voters, and candidate positions on issues. holding social or other events at which residents Educate Renters on Voting Logistics are encouraged to register to vote. Consider The date of the election, options for early hosting an event for National Voter Registration voting, the hours that polls are open, and the Day, which typically falls on the fourth Tuesday of polling locations are all basic elements to voting September. successfully. These logistics are easy to overlook Organize a Door-To-Door Campaign but remember that many potential voters might The third and most effective way for larger be new to voting and need to be reminded. organizations to systematically register clients is Clients should be informed of options for early or

2–64 2021 ADVOCATES’ GUIDE mail-in voting, where their polling place is, and completed, especially as protection from “voter what documentation they will need to have with caging.” Voter caging is defined by The Brennan them to vote. Many states have new requirements Center as, “the practice of sending mail to for showing identification during the registration addresses on the voter rolls, compiling a list of process or at the voting booth. The League of the mail that is returned undelivered, and using Women Voters has updated information about that list to purge or challenge voters’ registrations the rules in each state at www.Vote411.org. This on the grounds that the voters on the list do not resource also includes a polling place lookup tool legally reside at their registered addresses.” This where voters can find the address and hours of practice largely targets low-income renters as their polling location. they move at higher rates than homeowners. If you are working with many first-time voters, People who are experiencing homelessness, you can obtain sample ballots from your Board of including those who do not reside in a shelter, Elections or County Clerk’s office and distribute still have the right to vote. In most cases, the to residents. Arranging for local election officials address is really needed to determine what to demonstrate how voting machines work can districts a voter should be voting in for local office be helpful in easing fears about voting for the or state legislature. Different states approach first time. You may also want to coordinate with this in different ways, so this is another instance a group like the Election Protection coalition, a where getting more information from your local national, nonpartisan coalition that provides a Board of Elections or County Clerk is a best range of tools and activities with comprehensive practice. The National Coalition for the Homeless’ information on all stages of voting. This “You Don’t Need A Home to Vote” Voting Rights organization also hosts the election protection Campaign seeks to protect and promote the right hotline. More information can be found online at: of homeless people to vote. It offers materials www.866ourvote.org. on all aspects of a voter engagement campaign, including specific, state-by-state information Educate Renters on Their Rights as Voters on the legal issues affecting the rights of people It is also critical that voters are aware of their experiencing homelessness to vote. Find the rights because many misinformation campaigns campaign at www.nationalhomeless.org/ are designed to intentionally confuse people campaigns/voting. NLIHC also produced state- with limited resources. Producing a “What to by-state voter information pages that include Bring with You” sheet for voters can be helpful. state requirements for voting without an address, This sheet should include the voter protection which can be found at www.ourhomes-ourvotes. hotline 866-OUR-VOTE for voters to call if they org/voterinformationbystate. are facing voter intimidation or their vote is being Another common misconception is that people challenged. who have been convicted of a felony are There are also common misconceptions that it is permanently barred from voting. This is only true important you address. Voters should know that in the states of Iowa, Kentucky, and Virginia. In all voters who show up to the polls should cast most states, people who have been incarcerated a ballot. If voters are in line at the time the polls have their voting rights restored when their close, they must be allowed to vote. Encourage sentence is completed or when they are released. voters to bring a charged phone, water, or snacks In the states of Vermont and Maine, people to ensure they are prepared to wait in line. convicted of felonies never lose the right to vote If there is a question about any person’s and can vote while incarcerated. For a state-by- identification or residency in the ward where they state breakdown of these voting rights, see the are voting that voter should cast a provisional map on felony disenfranchisement that the ACLU ballot that will be counted after the initial run maintains at www.aclu.org/ issues/voting-rights/ of results. Provisional ballots should always be voter-restoration/felony-disenfranchisement-

NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION 2–65 laws-map. to the polls if they are contacted on several occasions and reminded to vote by someone Educate Renters on the Issues they trust. Further, once someone has voted, It is important you provide voters with they are more likely to vote in future elections. opportunities to hear from candidates. You Considerable attention should be paid to can organize events that clarify who your mobilizing the people you have registered. community’s elected officials are and the connection between what those officials do Aim for at Least Three Contacts with Each and your clients’ lives. One potential example Registered Voter is hosting a debate watch party to bring voters If possible, contact each potential voter three together to hear candidate perspectives and times between the day they register and Election discuss the issues. If candidates are participating Day: a few weeks before the election, a few days in events, consider encouraging voters to attend, before the election, and at least once on Election raise concerns, and ask questions. The Our Day. On Election Day, you may want to contact Homes, Our Votes: 2020 Toolkit includes example voters until they have affirmed that they have questions and tips for getting questions heard by voted. For example, if someone tells you at noon candidates. that they have not yet had a chance to vote, call back at 4 pm to see whether they have been able Strategies for Voter Education to get to their local polling location. Nonprofits can use a variety of strategies to You can also coordinate transportation or assist low-income voters in becoming familiar childcare services to reduce potential barriers to with upcoming election information, including voting. Make sure to coordinate rides for voters campaign issues and candidates. You can so that they can get to the polls; offering a ride is disseminate information through both printed not offering an illegal incentive to vote. Recruit and digital media. Displaying information as volunteers, or perhaps fundraise to rent vans for posters, flyers, and bulletins at your organization Election Day so that low-income residents with or within your community can help raise the disabilities or mobility concerns can access the visibility of the upcoming election. You may polls. Volunteers can also provide childcare at also want to send out regular newsletters and subsidized properties for residents who need mailings with relevant information. Creating flexibility to get to polls and cast their ballot. and sharing information through social media or email can help expand your reach and allows You should make sure that the voter commits to voters to share information more widely with voting, knows when Election Day is, and knows their networks. where her polling place is. One strategy is to ask voters to fill out a voter pledge card where One strategy is to create voter guides to share they commit to voting and identify a date and with voters. Voter guides include seek to provide polling location. When a voter envisions their voters with general information on Election Day steps to vote, they are more likely to act on that details, voters’ rights, and each of the candidates plan. Asking voters to express this plan can also and the offices they will fill. For an example guide, allow organizers to verify the polling location visit www.ourhomes-ourvotes.org/additional- and hours with the voter and learn if there are resources. transportation issues that need to be addressed. MOBILIZING VOTERS A sample fillable voter pledge card can be found on our website at www.ourhomes-ourvotes.org/ Your voter mobilization, or Get Out the Vote additional-resources. Ideally, contacts should be (GOTV) plan, can be the most important and made in person through a knock at the door, but rewarding piece of your project. Just registering phone calls, emails, and postcards can also work. voters is not enough; it has been consistently Not everyone will be home when your canvassers shown that voters are much more likely to go

2–66 2021 ADVOCATES’ GUIDE visit, so you may want to create a pre-printed leaders in your voter engagement effort to be note that can be left on people’s doors on Election poll watchers who spend their day at the polls to Day. record and report instances of voter harassment or unlawful suppression. Poll watchers can help Recruit volunteers, whether staff, residents, identify potential issues in your community and or community members, to assist in making can also be on call on Election Day if anyone GOTV contacts. If you have had building or experiences problems voting. floor captains who have been in regular contact with their voters, they should conduct these mobilization activities to the greatest extent NETWORK AND PARTNER possible. They can also support group voting. ENGAGEMENT Many voters are more likely to make it to the polls • The strongest election engagement does not if they are joined by their neighbors. Resident exist in isolation. councils and other low-income peer organizing – Social media efforts should consider selecting times when – Spotlights groups of residents can walk or ride to the polls altogether, making it a community activity. – Considerations for maintaining a website – How to create an email list for volunteers Again, it is personal contact from someone residents know or trust that will make an impact. – Calendar for engagement/opportunities Research shows that nonprofit agencies can have an impact on voter turnout in their communities CANDIDATE ENGAGEMENT by incorporating engagement efforts such as Engaging with candidates during the election active tabling and voter pledge cards, which have cycle can be important to communicating your shown to increase the turnout of low propensity affordable housing priorities and laying the voters by 29%. See Engaging New Voters: The groundwork for future relationships with newly Impact of Nonprofit Voter Outreach on Client and elected officials. Raising housing on the political Community Turnout for further reading. agenda will happen only when candidates for elected office understand that the issue of Work the Polls affordable housing is important to voters, so it is In addition to recruiting volunteers for your important to educate and engage candidates early Election Day GOTV efforts, you may also want and often. Candidate engagement can take many to encourage other residents to sign up with forms: candidate forums, town hall meetings, the county as poll workers. This provides an candidate surveys, and candidate fact sheets. additional, and often paid, way for low-income There are also opportunities to invite candidates renters to participate in the election process. to interact with residents or community members through meetings and site visits. Host a Polling Location Some nonprofits or housing providers have Educate Candidates increased their turnout rates by asking the Election engagement can help educate county to use their organization’s location as a candidates on affordable housing and raise the polling place. It is much easier to vote when you profile of your organization as a critical voice only need to go to the lobby! This arrangement in their district. When educating candidates, also offers community members an opportunity it is important to stay nonpartisan and to not to visit your agency. endorse, rank, rate, or score candidates. While your organization cannot criticize candidate Protect the Right to Vote statements, you can add perspective or correct Nonprofits can play an important role in making misinformation. In engaging with candidates, sure that people’s rights are protected when you may also want to report the number of new they get to the polls. You may want to designate voters your organization has been able to register

NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION 2–67 to emphasize your commitment to election public events allow candidates to have open activities. discussion of topics and issues, forums tend to be more moderator-led discussions and town Asking candidates to fill out a questionnaire halls encourage larger audience participation. can be a way to learn more about their positions Hosting an effective candidate event requires while making them aware of your organization sufficient planning time. You will want to ensure and the issues that are important to renters. that both candidates and attendees know about Candidate questionnaires should go to all the event in advance. To increase attendance, candidates, provide clear guidance, and give a consider involving multiple groups in hosting the reasonable amount of time for response. Once a event and minimizing barriers to participation, questionnaire is completed, you can distribute like offering food, childcare services, or to voters to help inform them of candidate transportation. positions. NLIHC produced a sample candidate questionnaire, which can be found in the Our In hosting events with candidates in attendance, Homes, Our Votes: 2020 Toolkit. Please contact be sure to not show support or endorsements. NLIHC if you would like help putting together a Candidates can visit your organization as public candidate questionnaire that includes federal figures (elected officials or field experts), as a policy. This is an activity in which you must candidate, or of their own initiative. If a candidate be especially vigilant about ensuring that your is visiting your organization as a public official, agency follows IRS requirements. Please refer to there should be no mention of their candidacy. the guide Nonprofits, Voting, and Elections before However, they can discuss their legislative you send questionnaires to your candidates or accomplishments and receive an award for work invite candidates to speak to clients. on housing. If candidates are visiting as part of a campaign, then they should not be fundraising, Candidates also learn what issues are important and it is best practice to invite all candidates. to voters by reading the letters to the editor page Finally, if candidates are attending events out of of the newspaper. Consider having clients write their own interest, there should be no reference letters about issues that are important to them; of candidacy or endorsement, implied or letters can often be published as a response to a otherwise. story in which candidates have discussed poverty issues. CAPITALIZING ON YOUR PROJECT Host Candidate Events Once Election Day is over, take a few days to rest. The best way to get candidates to acknowledge You deserve it! Then, it is time to do a few things: the importance of low-income renters as part celebrate your accomplishments and honor of the electorate is to provide opportunities for your volunteers. Evaluate your project and your them to interact with people who have lived results and plan what you will do differently in experience in the housing crisis. A later section the next election cycle. of the Advocates Guide will detail how housing Next, set up appointments for elected officials providers can organize candidate events. to meet with the renters or clients you serve There are several types of candidate events to discuss housing issues important to your –visits, forums, and town halls-- that can be organization and be prepared with statistics effective tools for candidate engagement. If you showing the increased voting rates in your are inviting candidates to visit your organization, community. Now that renters and staff have consider including a tour or provide a chance been energized by being involved in the election to hear directly from residents. It can often be process, talk to them about who might be very powerful when candidates are asked about interested in running for local office themselves. housing issues or homelessness in public forums Most importantly, consider your voter or town hall meetings. While both of these engagement project to be an ongoing effort;

2–68 2021 ADVOCATES’ GUIDE continue to make registration, education, and mobilization a part of your agency’s day-to-day activities.

NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION 2–69