Project Pericles Student Choices – Student Voices Guidebook for Student Organizers As part of Student Choices – Student Voices (SCSV), Project Pericles created a guidebook to help you organize events on your campus. Project Pericles is distributing this document to its member institutions to support your efforts promoting responsible citizenship. We hope you will find the resources included in this guidebook useful. More about SCSV: SCSV fuels engaged citizenship by (1) sharing information and resources to encourage students and community members to be knowledgeable about candidates and important issues, (2) creating a space for constructive dialogue, and (3) helping to register eligible students and community members to vote. The three components of SCSV build on the strengths of our national consortium to support, share, and collaborate on initiatives involving all participating campuses. As part of this year’s program, Project Pericles is offering grants to students to support their work on campus. Through November 2016, we will review proposals on a rolling basis and fund the most ambitious and innovative efforts to promote political participation. More information about the application process can be found on page 8 of the guidebook. Project Pericles is organizing Student Choices – Student Voices Week, September 24-30, 2016. During SCSV Week, Periclean campuses across the country will organize activities connected to the 2016 Presidential Election. SCSV Week includes National Voter Registration Day on September 27 and represents a concerted effort at the national level to engage eligible voters in the election process. More about Project Pericles: Project Pericles is a not-for-profit organization that encourages and facilitates commitments by colleges and universities to include social responsibility and participatory citizenship as essential elements of their educational programs. Founded in 2001 by philanthropist Eugene M. Lang, Project Pericles works directly with its member institutions, called Pericleans, as they individually and collaboratively develop model civic engagement programs in their classrooms, on their campuses, and in their communities. Periclean Colleges and Universities Allegheny College • Bates College • Berea College • Bethune-Cookman University Carleton College • Chatham University • Dillard University • Drew University Elon University • The Evergreen State College • Goucher College • Hampshire College Hendrix College • Macalester College • Morehouse College • New England College The New School • Occidental College • Pace University • Pitzer College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute • Rhodes College • St. Mary's College of Maryland Skidmore College • Spelman College • Swarthmore College • Ursinus College Wagner College • Widener University • The College of Wooster PROJECT PERICLES, 551 FIFTH AVENUE, SUITE 1910, NEW YORK, NY 10176 T: 212.986.4496 F: 212.986.1662 www.projectpericles.org 1 Engagement Boosting Strategies Seven steps to maximize engagement in the election process Adapted from Campus Election Engagement Project (http://www.campuselect.org/) 1. BUILD your team and plan your engagement campaign Organize an in-person meeting with as many campus representatives as possible to form a team Together, create a written plan and a calendar that develops a timeline Collaborate with your student government and other campus organizations – the more people involved, the more resources you will have, and the more people will hear about your efforts and events Working with members of both Democrat and Republican groups will help you to stay unbiased and nonpartisan Gather information pertaining to voting regulations and deadlines – this will ensure your team stays informed and helps fellow students access the information and services they need to register and to vote on Election Day Publicize your calendar and important deadlines around campus 2. REGISTER students to vote Make sure that everyone promoting registration understands residency rules and deadlines Distribute information and resources on absentee ballot voting for students voting using their home addresses Share online registration tools such as Rock the Vote and TurboVote to help students register Publicizing major campus activities like orientation or class registration maximizes outreach Ask to visit classes to give a ‘pitch’ on voter registration and share materials Take advantage of campus social and athletic activities where attendance and excitement are high by stationing volunteers outside the events. Consider asking the ‘stars’ of the events to promote voting to the attendees/audience Organize off campus drives, especially in areas that are historically underrepresented 3. EDUCATE students on issues and candidates Distribute and display nonpartisan guides containing voting information and resources explaining candidates’ stances on issues and encourage your school newspaper to publish the resources, ask the college radio station to do a segment on the guides, and/or share the guides by email Hold formal or informal debates 2 Create “I vote for…” buttons or t-shirts so that students can publicly express their key concerns in regards to the election Screen election related films such as: Suffragette, Iron Jawed Angels, The Youngest Candidate, or Journeys Through the Red, White, and Blue 4. BUILD momentum for Election Day Create a hashtag for your campus’ election efforts Hold Absentee Ballot parties for students who are out-of-state voters Publicize voter identification requirements and help students secure all necessary materials Hold rallies and election-related events Use art to gather crowds in visible places and then hand out election related materials Display posters, banners, and signs Provide chalk for students to draw messages and images on campus walkways encouraging voting 5. GET out the vote Make sure all students know about the national 1-866-OURVOTE hotline (1-866-687- 8683) where they can reach volunteer lawyers and law students if they should have problems at the polls Promote early voting so that students can skip the long lines and distribute reminders for students to vote absentee if they are from other districts Publicize the location of polling stations Encourage voting with messages like “Take a Date to the Polls” or “Real Friends Don’t Let Friends Vote Alone” to promote group voting efforts Hold “Parades to the Polls” to both early voting sites and Election Day sites Plan entertainment and snacks near the polling places while students wait in line Organize election night parties to watch results 6. MEASURE your impact Document your efforts as you go so that you can see what worked and what did not – it will save time in the future 3 Helpful Guide for Successful Events So that the energy put into events is reflected in the turnout! By Taryn Volpe, Class of 2018, Wagner College 1. Come up with the main idea of the event—and give it a fun and catchy name i.e. trivia night, bingo, registration drive, etc. 2. Pick a time and date that will bring together the greatest number of interested people As a student planning events for students, think about what day and time you would be most likely to attend an event 3. Pick a location that will compliment your event the most (and book it ASAP) If you are having a trivia night, try to pick a location that least resembles a classroom If you are having a registration drive, or another event that requires passersby to stop, try to pick a location where people would not be in a rush, like dorm buildings Plan out any other logistics, including electronic equipment, food, pens, paper, etc. **Now that your event is planned, it is time to talk advertisement/outreach** 4. Posters and flyers are a great way to spread the word about your event Do not put out flyers earlier than a week and a half before the event, otherwise the flyers may be torn down, or blend in with old ones Make a few different looking flyers for the same event, that way people do not feel crowded seeing the same images all across campus Place them where people will actually see them, i.e. near the elevator button, inside the elevator, on the back of doors… even the doors of bathroom stalls Make posters in different sizes, i.e. table tents (put these on tables in the library or eating areas), or even door slips (people are more likely to see it if you slip the information right under their doors) 5. Reach out to professors to tell their classes about your events…. If you get to them early enough, they may even put it in their syllabi. All it takes is an email! 6. Reach out to the community service representatives or presidents of clubs and organizations (most of them are required to attend events outside of their own) 7. Posting on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. is always helpful but make sure you make it an “event” as well, because then everyone that has clicked “going” will get a reminder before your event starts 4 SCSV Week Activity Ideas September 24-30, 2016 Ballot Walkthrough – If your state has a complicated ballot, you can help voters understand what is asked of them Banner – Have students write what issues they care about, what they hope to see happen as a result of the election, who was their favorite president and why Contact your Legislator (Call, Postcards, etc.) – Collective action sends a strong message to elected officials. You can petition them to pay attention to an issue that matters to you and your campus Debates – Screen candidate debates OR organize your own Democracy Pledge – encourage eligible voters to publicly pledge to vote Documentary/Film Screening – Present films that tackle important issues and follow with a discussion Game Night (Bingo, Trivia, etc.) – You can play the Project Pericles Bingo or play Trivia asking questions from the Citizenship Test or about the candidates High School Outreach – Visit a local school to register students who are now eligible Issues Forum – ask professors or community partners to come share their wisdom Letters to an Elected Official – Project Pericles has an annual competition (deadline in February) where student teams submit us a copy of a letter they wrote to an elected official.