Intro
A voter registration drive is a coordinated effort to help eligible voters get registered to vote at their current address — an important pre-requisite for voting in all but one state (North Dakota doesn't require voter registration).
Use this guide to inform your plans to host a specific event for voter registration and to support your students and community members navigate voter registration in general.
In This Article
Voter Registration 101
You don’t have to be a voter registration expert to help others get the info they need.
To make sure you feel comfortable with the topic, here is a quick primer.
Want to share this resource more widely? Find a public-facing version here!
What does it mean to be registered to vote?
What does it mean to be registered to vote?
Voter registration verifies your identity and eligibility to vote. When registered, you're added to an "electoral roll," or list, of eligible voters in the state. When you go to vote at a polling place, or apply for an absentee ballot, they will first check you are registered. (North Dakota is the only state without registration requirements.)
Once registered to vote, when do you need to update it?
Once registered to vote, when do you need to update it?
If you move to a new address within your state or change your legal name, you need to update your registration. There is no centralized voter registration for the US and each state runs its own voter file, so if you move states, you need to re-register.
Who is eligible to register to vote?
Who is eligible to register to vote?
You must be a US citizen, a legal resident of your state, and a legal resident of the county you're registering in. Some states have ‘residency requirements,’ requiring that you have lived there for a certain number of days (usually 30) before registering.
While you must be 18 to vote in all states, in some states you can pre-register at age 16 or 17 and it become active when you are old enough. (A handful of municipalities now allow people younger than 18 to vote, but not in federal elections.)
How can you register to vote?
How can you register to vote?
In all states, you can register by filling out a paper form that gets mailed or dropped off at a local election office. Many states now offer online voter registration (OVR).
In most states, to use the online option, you must provide a Driver’s License number or other ID number provided by the state. In some states, you can use the last four digits of your Social Security Number instead of a state ID number.
When do you need to register to vote?
When do you need to register to vote?
Voters can register at any time - the earlier, the better! There is no downside to being registered, even if there is not an election coming up soon.
Most states have registration cutoffs, so it's important to make sure you're registered before it gets too close to the election. If you aren’t registered, you can’t vote.
Depending on the state, cutoffs can be as early as 30 days out from Election Day. In some states, there is a "same-day registration” option where you can register in-person during Early Voting or on Election Day.
Do you have to register with a political party?
Do you have to register with a political party?
It depends on the state's laws for Primaries and Caucuses. These are processes where voters indicate their preference for the candidates to run in a General Election. Winners of the Primary or Caucus move on to the General Election.
For states that have 'closed' primaries, voters must register with a specific party and can only vote for candidates within that party. For open primaries, you don’t have to register with a specific party and can choose which party’s ballot to vote. Some states allow unaffiliated voters to participate in Primaries and Caucuses, while others don't.
Should students register at home or on campus?
Should students register at home or on campus?
It’s up to each individual! College students, like all individuals, can register and vote in the community that they regard as their primary or main residence. This means that you have the option to vote at a campus address or another “home” address.
To help make that decision, here are questions students can consider:
Which community do you want to advocate for and feel most connected to?
Which address do you have more access to when it comes to voting?
Where will you be living at the time of the next election?
How does pre-registration work?
How does pre-registration work?
While you generally must be 18 to vote, in some states, you can pre-register at age 16 or 17 and then will automatically become active when you are old enough.
In most states that offer this option, you can pre-register at 16 and in a few it is 17. About half the states don’t have a specific policy but allow you to register if you will be 18 by the next election.
Planning Registration Drives
Check out these guides from Campus Takeover and the League of Women Voters for detailed breakdowns of how to plan for a drive, including scripts and checklists.
🖥️ On Motivote: We already created a QR code for your Motivote dashboard! It's in your Onboarding Workspace. For additional codes, there are many free QR code creators online. We recommend tools like FlowCode for more advanced design, tracking and analytics options.
When To Host
If you plan to host a standalone voter registration drive, pick a date that is sufficiently far out from voter registration deadlines.
While you can register voters at any time during the year, there will be the most momentum in the lead-up to a national election. For general elections in November, mid or late September is a good time.
Voter registration deadlines can be as early as 30 days out from Election Day. For mailed-in forms, they need time to reach their destination (especially if students will be mailing them out of state) and also need to be processed by election officials
If your campus serves mostly students who are voting in the same state, you can plan your drive 2-3 weeks before that state’s deadline. You can also plan your drive for National Voter Registration Day, a Civic Holiday to encourage registration.
What to Bring
Printed forms for paper registrations
Given that not all students will be able to register online, it’s helpful to have some paper forms ready. All states allow voters to apply to register to vote via a paper form they submit by mail or return in-person.
We suggest printing forms for the state where your school is located and any nearby states where you have a high proportion of students coming from, in case they want to register at home. Access Motivote's State Election Database for all the state URLs.
Also print some copies of the National Mail Voter Registration Form, which can generally be used for registration in any state. This way, you don’t leave anyone out.
☝️ Whenever possible, students should register online because it's easier and faster. But not all students will be able to register online: In a few states, there is no online registration available at all. In most states that have this option, you need a Driver's License or other State ID number to use the online system. Out-of-state students or those who recently moved likely wouldn't have this.
QR codes for online registration resources
Print out or digitally display QR codes that link to online resources, like Motivote. Students can check their registration status and get registered, as well as complete follow-up election readiness steps like making a plan.
💡 When it comes to paper forms, the more the merrier! Not having access to printers can be a major barrier to registering by mail. Encourage passersby to take a few forms to store in their bag or home so they can share with others.
Charged laptops/tablets for registering online
If you’re at a table, have some spare laptops or tablets handy. While most people who stop by will have their phones, they may find it easier to go through the process on a larger screen. (In a few states, they will require a touchscreen for a digital signature.) Use an incognito browser so student information doesn’t get saved or auto-filled.
💡 Try inviting people to 'check their registration status' as a first prompt, instead of registering to vote. Research finds that people are more likely to respond to being asked to "check your registration status!" because registering can feel like a bigger lift, than just a quick check. Plus, people often forget to update their registration status after moving, so having them check their registration status is a good way to remind them to change it.
Strategy for following-up and tracking impact
Make a plan for how you will know:
Who registered at your drive
How to follow up with them
Being able to follow up with people from your voter registration drive significantly increases your impact.
Why? Because while registration is an important step, it's just the first of voting. 30-40% of people who are registered to vote don't actually vote in any given election!
Follow-up communications after the registration drive help voters stay informed and encouraged about casting their ballot.
Being able to measure your impact is important for program evaluation, and it also helps your team members feel great about the difference they made! At minimum, track how many people you talk to, how many people filled out a voter registration form, and how many people signed up to stay in touch after the drive.
🖥️ On Motivote: It's simple to stay on top of follow-up's and measure impact. Everyone who signs up for Motivote is automatically logged in your dashboard. See in real-time how many students completed the registration action. They also receive automated follow-up communications leading up to Election Day.
Food or other freebies - just for stopping by!
Freebies are a great way to attract people to your table. However, it is illegal to offer ‘something of value’ in exchange for registering to vote or voting.
You can have giveaways, food or other freebies as part of your drive, but make them available to everyone — not something that you only give after someone confirms that they registered or "in exchange" for registering.
🖥️ On Motivote: Users receive points to use in the Prize Store for completing voting readiness actions like making a plan, but not for registering to vote itself.
Rules & Restrictions
In some states, there are restrictions to voter registration drives, including:
Requiring groups to pre-register and provide information about their activities
Complete training through the state to be able to support with registration efforts
Implementing deadlines which require completed applications to be returned before the general registration deadline
Find the specifics for your state in this guide from Nonprofit VOTE and Fair Elections Center. If you’re in one of these states, consider leveraging your local election office or experienced nonprofit organizations, like the League of Women Voters.
🖥️ On Motivote: We link students to the relevant forms or websites for their state, but do not provide 'hands-on' support with getting registered or handling forms.
Learn more about state restrictions on voter registration drives:
Brennan Center for Justice report
Movement Advancement Project interactive map
Other Considerations
Coordinate with your local elections office. As part of planning your event, get in touch with your local office ahead of time and learn about any requirements or trainings they have. If you will be dropping off completed registration forms, let them know ahead of time as they may have preferences or instructions for you.
Plan for mailing out-of-state forms. If you will plan to mail in forms on behalf of students in other states, plan ahead for needs like envelopes and stamps and build in time to put them in the mail. Instruct students to address the envelopes as part of their registration process. (Suggestion: Create a visual for how to stamp and address an envelope! It's an unfamiliar progress for many college-aged students.)
Be neutral and nonpartisan. In any printed communication and conversations with participants, remember that you are helping with the process of voting, not advocating for any specific parties, candidates or issues. You want everyone to feel welcomed and encouraged. Learn more about nonpartisanship →
Be conscious of restrictions. If you're in a state with restrictions, you can still share information and direct students to relevant resources, but consider external partnerships for registration drives to ensure you don't break any rules.
Additional Resources
National Mail Voter Registration Form (PDF) - and in 21 other languages
Voter Registration Drive Guides - Fair Elections Center
Stony Brook University Institutionalized Voter Registration at New Student Orientation - Stony Brook University
Planning a Voter Registration Drive - League of Women Voters
How to Host a Voter Registration Drive - Civic Alliance
State Restrictions on Voter Registration Drives - Brennan Center for Justice
Restrictions on 3rd Party Voter Registration Drives (interactive map) - Movement Advancement Project
State Voter Registration Drives - Nonprofit VOTE and Fair Elections Center