Voter Registration/Census Engagement

We are partnering with non-profit VotER to build this capacity within the health center movement. Every CHC will receive 2 clings (removable stickers) with QR and text codes that will direct patients, staff, vendors, and supporters to a link to register to vote. We hope that you will post these clings to encourage patients and staff to participate in the democratic process. We will be having a state-by-state competition and hope you will join! Click here to see an overview of the VotER program.

Check out the Vot-ER page specific to CHCs!

There are two ways that you can get additional resources for health center:

1. Sign up for your Healthy Democracy Kits unique to your Health Center https://vot-er.org/CHC/. There is a free digital option and a paid option if you instead want a physical version – both come with monthly reporting of how many patients you’ve registered.
2. Sign up for your Free Voter Registration Posters and Patient Handouts in English and Spanish branded uniquely for your Health Center: https://vot-er.org/CHC/.

Best Practices Resources: 

1. Article – Encouraging Civic Engagement: Community Health Centers and Nonpartisan Voter Education & Registration Activities
2. Voter Registration Best Practices
3. Legal Q&As on Voter Engagement

The 2020 Census is a critical effort that translates directly into Community Health Center funding. It is important that we ensure all of the members of our communities are counted this year.

The California Primary Care Association (CPCA) has engaged in multiple virtual efforts to promote census completion during COVID-19.  CPCA has developed the following resources. Check them out to guide your Census awareness-building efforts:

• • CPCA Census Toolkit
  • Census 2020 COVID-19 Webinar – June 2020
  • My Health Counts Website
  • Sign up to receive CPCA’s biweekly emails here
  • Join CPCA’s monthly Census strategy calls here
  • Examples of Spotify Ads placed to promote Census efforts by CPCA and the Latino Community Foundation:
    • • English Clip 1
      • English Clip 2
      • Spanish Clip

September 22nd is National Voter Registration Day(NVRD), a nonpartisan holiday celebrated by a diverse coalition of organizations and individuals across the country. NVRD is the perfect opportunity to get your staff ready to vote if they have not done so already. VotER has developed a sample email template you can use to encourage your staff, and partners to check their voter registration status!

Step 1 – identify the best messenger. We recommend the email come from the most senior hospital member that has the ability to send staff-wide emails (ie. Office of the CEO, VP of Community Health, Office of Diversity).

Step 2 –  click on here to download an email template. The customizable template is ready to send.

Step 3 – send the email to staff on September 22 from 6 a.m. – 9 a.m.