By: Gabriel Mutsvangwa | Voting |
USC’s Unruh Institute of Politics set up booths next to Tommy the Trojan while offering students the forms and information to register as a voter in California.
As Election Day comes up in the next few months, many Americans - especially those aged 18 - 25 - are losing their opportunity to voice their opinion in the United States. The main culprit is a lack of resources. Here’s how you can help others get ready for this year’s presidential election.
Plan your Drive.
Voter registration drives do take some time to plan out; they don’t just come up out of nowhere. When planning your drive, it’s crucial to think about three things: your location, your team, and your audience.
Finding a location shouldn’t be overwhelmingly difficult. Any place works, as long as there are people present. Recreational areas - such as parks - may work great for you, as many Americans of all ages use parks regularly. You can catch someone walking their dog, another going for a run, or those playing park sports. Working outside of businesses may work too. Grocery markets are a great place to get loads of attention toward your drive. However, please make sure that hosting your drive is okay with the manager or business owner before setting it up.
Your team will play a crucial role in gaining attention for your drive. Before the drive occurs, your team can push out information through social media - like Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok - to encourage Americans of all ages and backgrounds to support you and your mission. This can reach a wide array of people, particularly if your team has a grand following or friends willing to repost. During the drive, your team should work together in setting up your booth and encouraging your audience to pre-register, register, or learn more about the candidates on the ballot. After the drive, your team can still help others to register through social media promotion.
Your target audience depends on where you live or where you may set up your drive. For instance, setting up in front of a grocery store may leave you with an audience at or beyond their 20s - with little room for Americans aged 16 - 18, while setting up in front of a salon may leave you with a majority female audience. However, this is completely up to you and your team. Try to aim for demographics whose voting turnout rates are lower than average. That way, you can encourage more voting while promoting equal voices in the upcoming elections.
Host Your Drive.
With the location, team, and audience down, all that you have left to do is host your voter registration booth. After setting up your booth, provide easily accessible resources for your audience to use. This may look like providing voter registration forms along with pens or QR codes that lead to online registration websites. As well as this, you can offer incentives to engage your community with voting, such as a sticker, treats, or gift cards. Having incentives will make it easier for you and your team to break any social barriers and allow others to fulfill their civic responsibilities. After the drive, make sure to keep a record - through tally marks, names, or anything - so that your team knows how many individuals you helped that day.
Although it may seem far away, Election Day is upon us. It’s important for your community to show up - whether that be in-person or online - so that their voices can be heard. So, as you host your registration drive in the next couple of months, remember that you can be the change that brings this country closer.
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