Guide to Organizing a Voter Registration Drive
All you need to do is have people text FUTURE to 644-33. Then they’ll get a text with the link where they can register to vote, update their registration, or request an absentee ballot.
Please include in messages advertising this short code the following language: “By texting, you agree to receive communications to your phone number from Everytown organizations. Msg freq varies. STOP to quit. Msg & data rates may apply.” everytown.org/terms.
Steps to Organize a Voter Registration Drive
- Coordinate Logistics!
- Check with your school administrators to secure a time and a location for the drive.
- Choose a time and a place where you’ll get a lot of foot traffic; a lunch period, before or after classes, or during a school or campus activity like a sporting event or career fair.
- Follow all school and government guidelines for public health.
- Register Your Voter Reg Action with Students Demand Action!
- Hosting a voter registration drive in person is the most effective way to register people to vote. When you know the details, schedule your drive using this link. Make sure to include your address to get your swag!
- Get Voter Reg Swag
- If you include your address when you fill out this link to register your voter reg drive, we’ll ship the following voter reg swag to you, including three Students Demand Action T-shirts, voter registration placards, “Register to Vote” stickers, “I Registered” stickers, and more!
- Use the Online Tool, and Check Voter Registration Deadlines in Your State
- Students Demand Action registers voters using a customized digital Voter Registration Tool. In many states, specialized training or certification is required for paper voter registration drives. Accordingly, Students Demand Action volunteers should NOT handle paper voter registrations, but rather encourage people to register themselves through the online voter registration tool only. Registrants must fill out their own registrations on the online tool, and volunteers should not help them enter information, nor copy or retain any of the information the registrants provide through the online form. Everytown will provide separate pages—such as your event sign-up form—for people to sign up to hear more from Students Demand Action, Moms Demand Action and/or Everytown. You should also familiarize yourself with the voter registration deadlines in your state as well, as they vary from state to state.
- Promote Your Voter Reg Action
- Distribute flyers and hang posters.
- Chalk on sidewalks and in classrooms on whiteboards.
- Recruit students to ask teachers if they can make a short announcement in their classes.
- Post about the drive on your group’s social media accounts, and see if your school will do the same on its social media accounts.
- Remind people to bring their driver’s license or Social Security Number, and make it clear that this is a non-partisan activity. (Students Demand Action is hosting nonpartisan voter registration drives only. You must accept applications from all prospective voters regardless of their political views or support for a candidate or party. In addition, for legal reasons, you may NOT advocate for the election or defeat of any candidate, or coordinate with any candidate, party, or campaign in connection with your voter registration drive.)
- Set Up Your Drive
- You will need: voter reg placards, sign-up forms for anyone interested in joining your student group, flyers about your next Students Demand Action meeting, and stickers for everyone who registers!
- Run the Drive
- Direct people to GunSenseVoter.org/are-you-registered/ OR to text FUTURE to 644-33 (Please include in messages advertising this short code the following language: “By texting, you agree to receive communications to your phone number from Everytown organizations. Msg freq varies. STOP to quit. Msg & data rates may apply.” everytown.org/terms.)
- For a tool in Spanish, you can use VotoLatino’s voter registration tool.
- Work in shifts of at least two. Before the drive, arrange a time to meet with your volunteers and walk them through VoteAmerica!
- Ask people to register. Don’t just sit at your table—approach people and ask if they’re registered to vote at their current address.
- Post photos on social media. Tag @studentsdemand. Use the hashtag #StudentsDemandAction and let people know they can register by texting FUTURE to 644-33 (Please include in messages advertising this short code the following language: “By texting, you agree to receive communications to your phone number from Everytown organizations. Msg freq varies. STOP to quit. Msg & data rates may apply.” everytown.org/terms.)
- Direct people to GunSenseVoter.org/are-you-registered/ OR to text FUTURE to 644-33 (Please include in messages advertising this short code the following language: “By texting, you agree to receive communications to your phone number from Everytown organizations. Msg freq varies. STOP to quit. Msg & data rates may apply.” everytown.org/terms.)
- Follow-up After Your Drive
- Follow up with everyone who signed up to join your Students Demand Action group.
- Enter the new sign-ups in the attendee check-in form and request local outreach to invite them to your next meeting.
Promote Your Voter Registration Drive
Download voter registration graphics below to promote your voter registration action! When you post about your voter registration drive on social media, tag @studentsdemand on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok!
Download Graphics
