Staying Neutral & Nonpartisan

Keep your voter engagement initiative welcoming and inclusive with a nonpartisan approach. Nonpartisan programs help people learn about elections and navigate the voting process. They don't support or oppose political candidates or parties.

When you position encouraging voting as part of a broader goal of encouraging civic engagement, your focus becomes about a social good rather than about particular parties or candidates. Voting is just one way that people can engage civically.



What Does It Mean To Be Non-Partisan?


Focus on the WHAT, WHEN, HOW and WHY of voting, but stay away from the WHO.


That is, help potential voters understand the importance of elections and help them with logistics, but do not discuss who to vote for.


You can (and should!) encourage voters to get informed about the candidates and measures on their ballot by recommending nonpartisan resources. But to remain nonpartisan, you should not make statements about who they should vote for.


To ensure your initiative is non-partisan, follow these guidelines:

  • Don’t encourage someone to register for one party or another
  • Don’t encourage someone to vote for one candidate or another
  • Don’t make statements about political parties, candidates, or issues



Types of Nonpartisan Activities


These types of activities are generally permissible in a nonpartisan initiative (not comprehensive):

  • Conduct a voter registration drive in your community
  • Remind people of upcoming elections and relevant deadlines and dates
  • Encourage people to register and vote in your communications or events
  • Provide information on when and where to vote - such as finding poll locations, getting absentee ballots or contacting election offices
  • Sponsor a candidate forum with other community partners for all candidates, and encourage your community to attend such forums
  • Display or provide an official sample ballot or distribute a nonpartisan voter guide from a trusted partner about what is on the ballot

Common Ballot Mistakes

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Each election cycle, thousands of ballots are not counted due to preventable errors. Avoid these common mistakes related to completing and returning Absentee/By Mail ballots to ensure your ballot is counted.

"Tricky" Absentee Rules

October 2, 2024
Some states make absentee voting tougher than others. This guide explains the three types of "tricky" absentee ballot rules and lists the requirements for each state.

Where To Register as a College Student

September 6, 2024
As a college student, you can vote at your campus or home address — it's up to you! This article contains prompts guide your decision and an overview of relevant rules.

Vote By Mail 101

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This FAQ-style guide, created by the National Vote at Home Institute, covers the basics of voting by mail across different types of states.

Integrating Voting Into Academics

July 9, 2024
Encouragement from faculty, staff, and other students makes a significant difference in student registration and turnout. This is a guide to "making the case" for talking about voter engagement and upcoming elections in higher ed courses.

How Your Company Can Support Democracy

May 6, 2024
How can your company make a difference for democracy? Check out our strategy framework for approaches, rationales, and specific suggestions: Reducing Barriers, Celebrating Participating, Strengthening Infrastructure.

Benefits of Corporate Civic Engagement

April 3, 2024
This is a guide to the "ROI" for corporate civic engagement and make the case for your company's investment in democracy, like sharing election resources, encouraging participation, or offering paid time to work at the polls.

How To: Host a Voter Registration Drive

January 15, 2024
Use this guide to inform your plans to host a specific event for voter registration and to support your community members with navigating the voter registration process.

Voter Registration 101

January 2, 2024
This FAQ-style guide covers the basics of voter registration, including what it means to be registered, timelines and options for getting registered, and guidance for college students.
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