High School Voter Registration Drive Toolkit

This toolkit is here to answer your questions and to provide you with all the necessary tools and ideas to get started and to have a successful voter registration drive!

Whe below was written for Portland, Oregon. You might check with your local elections offices to ensure that you are complying with local regulations).

WHERE DO I GET VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS?

You can pick up voter registration forms at your local county Elections Division. (In Oregon, If you ask, they will also give you a box to put completed forms in and “Register to vote here” posters.)

While there, let them know what you're doing to ensure that you are complying with your local regulations.

WHO DO I CONTACT AT THE SCHOOL?

The best place to start is the school secretary. Call them up (you can find contact info on each school’s website) and ask who the best contact would be for you to talk to about coming to the school to register students to vote. They will often direct you to the Leadership teacher.

If you prefer to communicate via email, you can find a sample email HERE.

WHAT DO I SAY WHEN I REACH A CONTACT AT THE SCHOOL?

Let them know that you would like to register students to vote. Make it clear that you are not there to influence students about who to vote for or which party to register for, you are simply interested in registering as many new voters as possible.

WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD I ASK MY SCHOOL CONTACT?

What days/times work best?
Often, the best time to do these voter registration drives are during Flex time (perhaps 2:15-3:15) and it’s best to be in the same location two days in a row to give students who don’t have the necessary info a chance to fill out the form at home and return it to you the next day.
What is the best location within the school?
A table in Senior Hall (if the school has separate halls) works great, but each school can decide what will work best.
Do I need to bring a table?
Some schools will be able to provide one and others will ask you to bring your own (you can usually borrow chairs from a classroom). A rectangular card table works best. Info about other supplies to bring is below.
Are there students who would like to help staff the table?
It works great to have at least two people at the table but three or four would work as well and it’s nice to have the students participate if they are interested. They can roam the halls with clipboards as well.
Does the school require a background check?
For Portland Public Schools: If a staff member will be supervising you the entire time you are there, you don’t need one.
Is the school able to include info about the drive in their announcements and is the Leadership team (or another student group) able to put posters up around the school the week prior to the drive?
It’s very helpful to have some publicity about this so students know to expect it.
Ask them to include the following info in the announcements:
- There will be a voter registration drive on (dates) from (start to end time) in (location).
- Students age 16 and older who are U.S. citizens are able to register to vote. If you are not yet 18 years of age, you will be sent a ballot when an election occurs on or after your 18th birthday.
- Interested students need to bring their driver’s license number or the last four digits of their social security number or a copy of one of the following that shows their name and address: a valid photo identification, a paycheck stub, a bank statement, or a government document.

WHAT DO NEED TO BRING TO THE VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE?

Table/chairs (if needed) and a tablecloth (optional).
Voter registration forms (pick up mostly English and Spanish and get a few in the other languages that kids can bring home to non-English-speaking parents).
”Register to Vote” sign. Here's one you can print out. Don’t forget to bring tape to hang them or tape them to the front of your table.
”If you are 16 years old…” sign - you can find one HERE to print or you can make your own.
Box to put completed forms in. You can also use a manila envelope.
Clipboards and lots of pens (it’s best to have the pens tied with string to the clipboards and to bring lots of extras because they disappear fast).
A print out of this document so you can see the answers to potential questions the students might ask.

WHAT SHOULD I NOT BRING?

Anything partisan or influential like signs, stickers, or buttons. This includes “In Our America” signs, “Storm the Midterms” buttons, shirts with candidates or political slogans on them, etc.
It’s important to stay as neutral as possible. The goal is to register voters, not to influence them to vote for a specific candidate or register for a specific party.
Anything of value to induce someone to register to vote (i.e. treats, stickers, etc.).

AS A VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE ORGANIZER YOU:

May NOT alter any information on the card.
May NOT coerce or direct voters to choose a particular political party. You must accept all Voter Registration Cards no matter party selection and cannot turn anyone away.
May NOT keep a copy of the registration card unless you block out the voter’s signature, DMV Driver’s License/ID number, and social security number. This information is not public record.
Must return all voter registration cards to a county elections office within five calendar days of the voter registration drive (date you receive the card).
May NOT give something of value to induce someone to register to vote (i.e. treats or stickers).

WHAT QUESTIONS MIGHT THE STUDENTS ASK ME?

Question: Am I eligible to vote?

Answer: If you are 16 or older and a citizen of the United States. If you are not yet 18 years of age, you will be sent a ballot when an election occurs on or after your 18th birthday.

You may NOT register if you have a green card or DACA status.

Question: If I have an Oregon driver’s license am I automatically registered to vote?

Answer: If you have an Oregon driver’s license and are a U.S. citizen you should have received a card from the Oregon Elections Division explaining your options for registering to vote. If you did not receive this or are not sure, it’s fine to register again to be sure.

Question: Can I use pencil to fill out my form?

Answer: No, you must use black or blue ink and you must write legibly.

Question: Can I register online?

Answer: Yes, you can register online at https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/vr/register.do?lang=eng&source=SOS

If you don’t have a driver’s license, register using this form: http://sos.oregon.gov/elections/Documents/SEL500.pdf

Question: If I don’t have a driver’s license or the last 4 digits of my SSN, what other forms of ID are acceptable?

Answer: They must have a copy of one of the following that shows their name and

address: a valid photo identification, a paycheck stub, a bank statement, or a

government document.

Question: Do I have to choose a party?

Answer: No, there’s an option that says “Not a member of a party” that they can choose and they can change that at any time via the elections office. Explain that Oregon has a closed primary, so you can only vote in the primary election of the party you are registered with. If you are not registered with a party, your ballot will only list the non-partisan races.

Question: Can I check the status of my registration online?

Answer: If you are 18 or over, you can look up that info here: https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/vr/showVoterSearch.do?lang=eng&source=SOS If you are 16 or 17, please call 503-988-3720 to confirm that you are registered.

Question: Can I change my address when I move to college?

Answer: Yes, if you are staying in Oregon and need to change your address, you can do that online at https://multco.us/elections/webform/online-change-address-voters

Question: Can I change the political party I registered for?

Answer: Yes, you can either fill out a new print form or register again via this online form (Oregon): https://secure.sos.state.or.us/orestar/vr/register.do?lang=eng&source=SOS

NOTES:

The end of the school year is rapidly approaching and schools are going to start getting very busy with proms, graduations, end of the year activities, etc. If you want to plan a registration drive, it’s best to either do it asap or get some dates on the calendar for early fall.
October 16th is the last day to register to vote in the Oregon midterms.
This is an easy and fun activity to do and it yields great results - the students are excited and enthusiastic and feel empowered to be able to register to vote.
After your event, it’s a great idea to post photos on your social media pages to spark interest so other people will volunteer to host these drives at their schools. Please blur out the faces of the students in the photos to respect their privacy. You can share this toolkit with your friends.