Overview:
People are much more likely to go vote if they’re reminded by someone that they trust. You can be that trusted source for your community! On Vote Early Day, ask if you can have a few minutes to give a quick pitch about voting early at the beginning of any kind of gathering you’re part of, such as a Zoom call, a staff meeting, a class, or a community meeting.
Some tips for your pitch:
- Be sure to share your personal story about why voting matters to you. Stories are more impactful for potential voters than numbers and statistics.
- Keep it nonpartisan so everyone feels included in your message.
- Let people know why voting early is the best way to make sure their voice is heard. You can use our core messages as a guide.
- By the end of the pitch, make sure that everyone has made a plan for how they will cast their ballot early. You can do this either by sharing the Vote Early Day online voter tool or by passing out postcards for making a plan to vote.
- Give people the space to make their plan to vote but continue to hold the floor and keep people engaged as they’re doing so. This ensures that they stay focused and complete their plan.
- If people have questions about how to cast their ballot early, direct them to our website (voteearlyday.org) for more resources.
These few minutes can make a huge difference in making sure your peers’ voices are heard!
Sample Script:
Hi everyone, today is Vote Early Day, so I just wanted to give you a quick reminder about the incredibly important midterm elections happening this fall. I’m voting early because [your personal reason], and I encourage you all to join me.
The best way to make sure your voice is heard is by voting early! If you wait until Election Day, last-minute problems, long lines at the polls, and confusing election laws can stop you from having your say. When you vote early, you ensure that nothing can prevent you from casting your ballot. Here in [your community], we can vote early by [your community’s options for voting early].
Studies show that the most effective way to make sure you vote is by making a plan to cast your ballot ahead of time. I’m going to help you all make your plans to vote early right now, before you forget.
[If using postcard]
I’m passing around postcards so you can plan out when, where, and how to cast your ballot ahead of Election Day. Once you fill out your card, take it with you and hang it up somewhere that will remind you to cast your ballot.
[If using the online voter tool]
Can everyone please pull out their phones and head to voteearlyday.org? [If possible, write the URL on the board ahead of time or hold up a QR code] Use the voter tool on this page to plan out when, where, and how to cast your ballot ahead of Election Day. Once you finish, it will email you a reminder of your plan.
While you’re filling this out…
As people are making their plans, make sure to hold the space and keep them engaged! Here are a few ways to keep the momentum going:
• Answer any questions people have about the election or how to cast their ballots
• Ask one person to walk the audience through their personal plan to vote
• Talk about recent changes to election laws in your state
• Ask people to share their personal reasons for voting in this election
• Make it interactive: ask for a show of hands of how many people are voting in person, by mail, and how many aren’t sure yet
Awesome, I love this enthusiasm for casting your ballot and making your voices heard! Can you all keep the Vote Early Day celebration going by reaching out to three friends and helping them make their plans to vote as well?