Health centers have access to potential voters who are underrepresented in the electoral process. Our position in the community provides the opportunity to be the catalyst for a dramatic increase in civic engagement through legal, permissible, nonpartisan voter engagement activities such as voter registration, voter education, and get out the vote (GOTV) campaigns. With the November elections looming, many organizations we do not normally think of as hubs for engaging voters are playing an important role in ensuring eligible citizens are able to register and vote in the upcoming November 6th elections. 

Get Out The Vote activities benefit our health centers, patients, and democracy. Health centers reach low-income consumers and new citizens that many voting campaigns miss. If we don't encourage our patients to vote, who will? When health centers provide GOTV opportunities, patients are empowered to walk out of a health center with their health issues attended to, as well as the tools to participate in the next election. Check out resources below to assist in your health center’s GOTV efforts.

Important Election Dates and Deadlines in California

  • Find Your Polling Place Here
  • Check Your Voter Registration Status Here  
  • Early Voting Dates Vary by Locality – Contact your local elections office
  • Request For Absentee Ballot Received by October 30
  • Election Day is November 6
  • Ballots must be cast in person or mailed in and postmarked by November 6
  • Absentee Ballot Deadline Post received by November 9

Get Out The Vote (GOTV) Resources For Community Health Centers 


What is Conditional Voter Registration?
Conditional Voter Registration is a new safety net for Californians who missed the October 22 deadline to register to vote or update their voter registration information for the November 6, 2018, General Election. While you may not be able to vote at your regular polling place or vote by mail, there is still an opportunity to cast a ballot by completing the conditional voter registration process. Special Note: Voters in the five counties adopting the Voter's Choice Act--Madera, Napa, Nevada, Sacramento, and San Mateo--can access conditional voter registration at any Vote Center in their county. Voter's in these counties can find a list of Vote Centers using the My Voter Status Tool at https://voterstatus.sos.ca.gov/

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2018 Voter Engagement Tool Kit for Community Health Centers

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CaliforniaHealth+ Advocates, in partnership with Nonprofit VOTE and CPCA's Consortia members launched a 2018 Voter Engagement Toolkit to provide additional guidance on permissible voter engagement activities for community health centers.

 

Get the Latest Non-Partisan Candidate Guides
You've already gotten people registered to vote for the Midterms, GREAT! Now what? Well, aside from making sure they know where to vote, you can also educate them on who is running for office in their area and where they stand on key issues. Nonprofit Vote has gathered some of the best, nonpartisan candidate guides from across the web. 

Candidate Guides

Making Voting Fun 
The sad truth is voter turnout for Midterm Elections is routinely 20% lower than General elections. But that doesn't have to be the case this year, especially if you point the communities you serve to these great tools that help make voting a bit more fun and engaging! Whether it's getting discount rides to the polls or literally throwing a party, see how companies like MTV, TurboVote and Lyft are helping get out the vote! 

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LYFT Ride to Vote Campaign 
In the 2016 election, over 15 million people were registered but didn't vote due to lack of transportation. This year, Lyft is providing a 50% off promo code on election day to help people get to the polls! Share the 50% off promo code with health center patients by having then enter their zip code below. They'll see the promo code in the LYFT app on Election Day. LYFT also provides a  primary platform for healthcare customers and for the Get Out the Vote campaign that includes utilizing a dispatching tool called Lyft Concierge . This allows an organization to book rides on behalf of individuals without them needing access to a smart phone. 

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