Our Homes, Our Votes is NLIHC’s nonpartisan campaign to boost voter turnout among low-income renters and educate candidates about housing solutions. NLIHC and Our Homes, Our Votes are proud partners of National Voter Education Week, a nonpartisan voter education campaign that equips voters with the tools and information they need to cast their ballots with confidence. National Voter Education Week begins today (October 2) and will run through Friday, October 6. Each day of the week focuses on a different step that voters can take to prepare to cast their ballots.
Monday, October 2: Register to vote or check your voter registration status. NLIHC encourages all housing advocates to use the brand-new Our Homes, Our Votes Action Center to register or check their voter registration status. It’s especially important to check and update your voter registration if you have recently moved or changed your name.
Tuesday, October 3: Request your mail-in ballot if you are eligible. Once you are registered to vote, click the “Voter information” tab in the Our Homes, Our Votes Action Center to find information about mail-in voting options in your community.
Wednesday, October 4: Make a plan to vote. Transportation is one of the most common barriers that prevents eligible voters from casting their ballots. If you need a ride to the polls, there may be a nonpartisan civic organization in your community that is able to provide one. Rideshare2Vote AWARE, an Our Homes, Our Votes affiliate, is a nonpartisan organization that provides barrier-free rides to the polls in 13 states and is rapidly expanding. Visit the website at rideshare2voteaware.org or call 888-858-3421 to request a ride. If you already have transportation to the polls, consider volunteering with Rideshare2Vote AWARE and supporting other voters in your community! Click here to learn more about volunteer opportunities.
Another aspect of making a plan to vote is ensuring that you have the voter ID that your state law requires. Visit www.voteriders.org/ to learn about your state’s voter ID requirements and get help with obtaining your ID.
Thursday, October 5: Research your ballot. While state and local elections typically get far less media coverage than federal elections, their outcomes can have a major impact on housing policy decisions in your community. Click the “Candidates” tab in the Our Homes, Our Votes Action Center to learn more about the people running for office where you live.
You may also want to research any local ballot measures that ask voters to weigh in directly on policy decisions. To learn more about housing-related ballot measures, register for the upcoming Our Homes, Our Votes webinar series, “Housing Is Built with Ballots,” that will take place on October 12 and 26.
Friday, October 6: Mobilize your community! Research shows that personal outreach is one of the best ways to increase voter registration and turnout rates. Pass along voter registration and education resources to your friends and family, and post on social media to uplift the importance of civic engagement. You can use sample social media content from the Our Homes, Our Votes website or from National Voter Education Week’s shareable content hub. Use the hashtags #VoteReady, #NationalVoterEducationWeek, and #OurHomesOurVotes and be sure to tag @OurHomesVotes.
For more information about National Voter Education Week, visit: https://votereducationweek.org/
For more information about Our Homes, Our Votes, visit: https://www.ourhomes-ourvotes.org/
Questions? Reach out to [email protected]