Voter Engagement Project
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Register to vote. Because Every Vote Matters!
Washington Low Income Housing Alliance Voter Engagement Project
The Housing Alliance is working to support our member organizations and partners to empower every eligible housing resident and community member experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity, to register to vote and further engage in civic opportunities.
The Reality
Advocating for affordable housing and an end to homelessness is made more effective when community members who care about and are impacted by these issues are active voters.
Elected officials and candidates know who votes and who doesn’t. Some will pay less attention to, make fewer appearances in, and appeal less to neighborhoods that don’t have registered voters.
Historically, community members experiencing homelessness, and those living in low income housing do not vote, in part because of systemic barriers, and in part because they are not encouraged to participate.
However, housing residents and community members experiencing homelessness are directly impacted by the decisions made in Olympia.
It is time they are heard.
The Solution
Registering housing residents and community members experiencing homelessness to vote empowers those community members to get involved and influence the decisions that directly impact their lives and communities.
Increasing the number of homeless and housing community members who vote, strengthens advocacy efforts locally and in Olympia.
Nonprofits are empowered by the law to participate in specific civic engagement efforts, including voter registration.
The Housing Alliance works with member organizations and partners to create Voter Engagement Plans, individualized strategies for increasing registered voters in your community. Voter Engagement Plans have the following components:
1. Voter Registration and Engagement
- Register new voters
- Update voter registrations
- Educate community members about their voting rights
- Support the Housing Alliance’s door knocking efforts at one or more residential properties
2. Pledge to Vote Postcard Campaign
Securing pledge-to-vote cards from housing community members who are registered to vote, in order to demonstrate to elected officials that these communities are engaged and care about the issues, particularly policy decisions impacting housing and homelessness.
3. Get Out the Vote (GOTV)
GOTV engages newly registered voters to vote and mail in their ballots.
Reminders: email, postcard, signage, etc.
Events: ballot parties, registration drives, etc.
To create a Voter Engagement Plan for your organization, contact Sakara Remmu, Outreach and Mobilization Manager 206.442.9455 x200 sakara@wliha.org.
Downloads and One-Pagers
Every Vote Matters - Washington Low Income Housing Alliance Voter Engagement Project
WLIHA Pledge to Be a Housing Voter Cards
Who Can Vote in Washington?
Frequently Asked Questions for Registering Voters
What Non-Profits Can Do - Designed for nonprofits that do not use any federally restricted funds (such as CSBG grants). For more information on the rules and restrictions for nonprofits that do receive such funds, please see NonProfit Vote's Federal Funds and Voter Participation
ACLU - Voting Rights Restoration in Washington (May 2012)
