NAHRO Votes

Encourage staff and residents to vote and to engage in nonpartisan GOTV activities (like those on this list!) 

Before Election Day

• Hold a GOTV party or event that outlines GOTV activities and how people can get involved.  
• Determine which organizations are holding phone banks (where volunteers call registered voters and remind them to vote) and volunteer – or host your own phone bank.
• Leverage your organization’s existing communication vehicles to remind people – via email, newsletters, and social media – to vote.
• Create visibility about Election Day using posters in your offices.
• Share telephone or website information for nonpartisan voter information, like “Where do I vote?” or “When do the polls open or close?”

On Election Day

• Give staff time off to vote.
• Encourage staff to sign up as poll workers or translators.
• Provide rides to the polls or promote organizations that provide rides.

National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan civic holiday dedicated to celebrating democracy and getting Americans registered to vote. Since its kickoff in 2012, the holiday and its team of partners have helped over 5 million people get registered in time for their next election. This year, the holiday falls on Tuesday, September 17.

Check out the National Voter Registration Day website for several resources, including:

• Communication toolkits
• Registration drive resources
• Event swag and materials
• Webinars and support resources

Registered voters have a variety of options for exercising their right to vote. Although rules vary from state to state, here are the options that may be offered:

1. In-person Voting: This option requires voters to go to a designated polling location. Some states, however, will allow a voter to vote at any polling location within their county. Polling locations generally provide an option between paper ballot and or electronic device.  
2. Early Voting: There are typically some voting locations that are open before Election Day. Rules may vary by state, so it is best to check with your state or local election office for clarity on rules or dates when Early Voting is offered.
3. Voting by Mail/Absentee Voting: If you are unable to vote in person, you may request for a ballot to be sent to you. Each state has its own guidelines. You can check here to see if your state allows Vote by Mail and what their rules are: Absentee & Early Voting | NASS  

PIH Notice on Eligible GOTV Activities

Both Congress and HUD are clear that voting is a fundamental right and that it is the duty of Federal, State, and local governments to promote the exercise of that right. Some rules vary by state, and HUD advises PHAs to check in with their counsel to ensure compliance with state and local law.  

Permissible PHA activities:  

1. Providing documentation of residence (e.g., address verification, leases, etc.) to public housing residents when requested to ensure residents are able to register to vote. Your PHA staff can visit Vote.gov to determine what documentation of residence will be most helpful to residents that wish to register to vote in your state.  

2. Applying to operate as a voter registration agency under the National Voter Registration Act. States are allowed to designate state, federal, and non-governmental offices as voter registration agencies. If your PHA would like to be considered to be a voter registration agency, you can reach out to state election officials to learn more about the laws and rules in your state. HUD does not make determinations about what offices can be designated as voter registration agencies, only your state election officials can make this determination. For more information on what it means to be a voter registration agency, check out this FAQ by the Department of Justice: Civil Rights Division | The National Voter Registration Act Of 1993 (NVRA) (justice.gov) 

3. Making your voting and voter registration resources available to residents. If you are not designated by the state as a voter registration agency, you can still facilitate residents’ access to voter registration. Permissible actions include:  

• Making voter registration forms available to residents 
• If the laws of your state allow, accepting completed voter registration application forms and transmitting these forms to the appropriate State election official.
• If the voter registration laws of your state allow, running a PHA-initiated voter registration drive. However, you would need to consult with your counsel and your state election director to identify the rules and laws around voter registration drives for your state.
• Permitting the use of PHA community space on an incidental basis to hold meetings, candidate forums, or voter registration, provided that all parties and organizations have access to the facility on an equal basis and are assessed equal rent or use charges. 
• Collaborating with local election administrators to permit the use of PHA space for voter drop boxes and voting sites, including for early voting.  

PHAs may use Section 8 administrative fees and public housing operating subsidies to meet the costs for the above permissible activities. Where PHAs fund Resident Councils, the Resident Councils may use their funds to provide voter transportation as a resident service if they so desire. 

PHAs may not use public housing funds to finance the use of facilities or equipment for partisan political purposes or partisan political activities that favor one candidate, party or political position over another.  Any voter registration activities undertaken should not be partisan. Impermissible activities by PHAs include any act that would: 

1. Suggest that benefits are in any way tied to a participant’s voting activity, or 
2. Give the appearance that the processes of voter registration or voting are not voluntary processes.

For additional voter and election resources, your agency may also refer to the non-partisan Vote.gov official website. This website provides helpful information such as how to register to vote, voter registration deadlines, and specific information about state and local elections. Please feel free to share this resource with your PHA’s residents and staff. 

You are reminded that federal laws, including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) and Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), require that the voting process, including voter registration, site selection, and casting ballots be accessible for individuals with disabilities. For example, any community space used for voting access must be accessible. Learn more about Federal Laws Protecting the Rights of Voters with Disabilities.

All eligible voters have the right to vote, especially voters with disabilities. Some of the accessibility options protected by law include:

• Service Animal Support 
• Someone to help you vote (not an employer or union representative)
• Handrails on all stairs at a voting location
• Accessible parking areas
• Voting and election materials in large print and/or audio format

You can learn more about ADA compliant polling places here: ADA Checklist for Polling Places 

Voters in need of accessibility accommodations may request assistance from their local or state election office here:  State and local election offices | USAGov.