By Tia Turner, NLIHC
NLIHC’s Our Homes, Our Votes campaign works to close the participation gap by helping housing organizations and tenant leaders register, educate, and mobilize low-income renters to vote. OHOV provides nonpartisan tools, resources, training, and best practices that housing and homelessness organizations can use to integrate civic engagement into their work. (National Low Income Housing Coalition; https://tr.ee/H2QoZM)
The campaign’s Turning Renters into Voters report demonstrates that voter engagement does not have to be separate from housing advocacy. Resident meetings, service coordination, tenant organizing, community events, newsletters, and one-on-one conversations can all become opportunities to provide residents with accurate, nonpartisan voting information. (National Low Income Housing Coalition; https://tr.ee/ fnCwZj)
The goal is not simply to increase the number of people who vote once. It is to help build a culture of civic participation in which renters understand that their voices matter before, during, and after Election Day.
As the 2026 midterms approach, renters can:
- Check their voter registration status.
- Learn about upcoming elections and deadlines.
- Understand their voting options, including early and mail-in voting.
- Find out what will appear on their ballot.
- Seek out reliable, nonpartisan election information.
- Make a plan for when, where, and how they will vote.
- Encourage friends, neighbors, and fellow residents to participate.
Housing organizations can also help by making voter engagement a routine part of their work, not just a one-time activity that occurs only immediately before Election Day. OHOV’s resources, including its best practices report and ongoing webinar series, are designed to help organizations build this capacity and sustain voter engagement throughout the election cycle. (National Low Income Housing Coalition; https://tr.ee/B8sNRG)
Renters Have a Voice
The voting landscape heading into the 2026 midterm elections will continue to evolve. Court decisions, redistricting developments, and changes to voting procedures may create uncertainty for voters. But one thing remains clear: renters deserve the opportunity to participate fully in the democratic process and to have their voices represented in decisions affecting their homes and communities.
Housing is on the ballot. Renters are voters. And every election is an opportunity for renters to make their voices heard.