Get Out the Vote!
Let's celebrate National Voter Registration Day and make sure museums & nonprofits are actively promoting the fundamental right to vote
Hey Changemakers,
Today is National Voter Registration Day, a day to celebrate and promote one of the most fundamental rights we have—our right to vote.
As we reflect on the roles our institutions play in society, it’s clear that museums and nonprofits have a powerful opportunity to actively engaging in civic life. One way we can do this is by supporting voter registration in our local communities.
So many institutions have risen to the challenge of encouraging civic participation, including the #BeLoudVote initiative from the National Civil Rights Museum, the continuation of voter registration drives at the Brooklyn Museum, and all of the institutions including the Susan B. Anthony House Museum, African American Museum of Southern Arizona, Molly Brown House Museum, Montclair Art Museum, National Women’s History Museum, Norman Rockwell Museum, and the Seattle Art Museum who are registering voters today as part of National Voter Registration Day.
These and many other organizations are providing resources to help visitors make sure they’re election-ready. These efforts show the power of museums and nonprofits to act as catalysts for change, using their platforms to amplify community voices and inspire action.
How to Get Started
If your institution hasn’t gotten involved in voter registration yet, there’s no better time than today. Whether through setting up a voter registration table, providing information on how to register, or partnering with local organizations to host civic engagement events, the possibilities are vast and meaningful. You can start small, and grow your voter registration activities each year (and remember that there are always elections — not just the Presidential elections)..
For those looking to get started, here are some excellent resources to explore:
Nonprofit Vote: A comprehensive resource for nonprofits, including museums, looking to engage voters.
American Alliance of Museums Nonprofit Voter Resources: A good starting place to learn about how museums can get involved in elections and civic engagement efforts.
Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Civic Engagement Resources: Practical steps for museums to take in supporting voter education and registration efforts.
Voter Registration & Engagement 101 for Museums - video of the webinar program from September 17, 2024, hosted by the New England Museum Association and partners. Program covers basic strategies for voter registration & engagement to help you organize a voter effort even if you have limited bandwidth and resources.
Know of Other Resources? If you have any other resources that would be helpful to share, please add them in the Comments below.
I also encourage you, as an individual, to visit Vote.org, a free, non-profit, non-partisan voting registration platform that provides registration links and deadlines, polling location details, and essential voting information for each state. Now is a great time to sign-up to register to vote, or to check to make sure your registration is current. And you can share this information with staff and colleagues to make sure they are registered, too.
“The vote is the most powerful nonviolent change agent you have in a democratic society. You must use it because it is not guaranteed. You can lose it.”
—Rep. John Lewis, 2020
Let’s Step Up and Shape the Future Together
By embracing this civic role, museums and nonprofits can help ensure that every voice in our communities is heard and that we all have the opportunity to shape the future.
There is often hesitation or fear in getting involved in civic initiatives, but it’s crucial to remember that empowering people to vote is a civic responsibility. Our institutions are valued community spaces where people come together, making them perfect hubs for fostering informed and active participation in the democratic process.
By stepping up, museums and nonprofits can become leaders in helping our communities navigate important civic duties and making sure everyone has the tools and resources they need to be heard.
Let’s take this moment not just to reflect, but to step up and act, creating real, lasting change in the places we serve.
Want to Deepen Your Institution’s Impact in Your Community?
If your museum or nonprofit is committed to deepening its community impact, then engaging in civic responsibilities like voter registration is just the beginning.
As we work to make our institutions more connected to our local communities, it’s crucial to form meaningful, reciprocal partnerships with local organizations and groups already leading the way in civic engagement and helping create positive change across a variety of issues.
To explore this work further, I invite you to join me for the Fall Community-Centered Engagement Intensive, starting October 30.
This online interactive workshop will provide tools and strategies for building stronger, more authentic connections with your community, so you can foster real change both inside and outside your institution.
Note that Monday, September 30, is the early registration discount deadline for the Intensive (use the code: EARLYBIRD), which is coming up quickly.
I’m really excited to launch this workshop and bring together an incredible group for this fall’s Community-Centered Engagement Intensive.