This fall, voters across the country will head to the ballot box and elect all 435 members of the House of Representatives, 35 out of 100 Senators, and countless elected officials in their local and state governments. From Congress down to your local government, access to healthcare, the way communities are policed, and how this country combats climate change are just some of the important issues on the ballot.

With just weeks until the midterm elections on Nov. 8, Eventbrite is partnering with When We All Vote— the leading national, nonpartisan organization working to change the culture around voting — to ensure people are ready to participate in this election and are excited to engage in our democratic process. 

The obstacle, however, is midterm elections typically see lower voter turnout than presidential elections. What’s more, historically there has also been a race and age gap where young voters and voters of color participate at lower rates. 

BUT, we have a solution and need YOUR help. 

When We All Vote Registration Event Volunteers

To increase voter participation, we first need to make sure every eligible American is registered to vote. To do this, we ask community leaders like yourself to throw a voter registration party to encourage your friends, family members, colleagues, neighbors, and community to check their voter registration status or register to vote. 

This is where YOU, our creators, come in! 

Ready to throw a voter registration party? Here are seven easy steps to participate:  

Step 1: Check your own voter registration status! Visit weall.vote/eventbrite to check your voter registration status right now.

Step 2: Plan when to host your voter registration party! To figure out the best date and time to host your event, check your state’s voter registration deadlines. Ideally, you would plan your voter registration party before your state’s voter registration deadline. Remember, Election Day is Nov. 8, 2022! Note: There might be specific rules related to activations and election activity in your state, county, or locality. Research the applicable electioneering rules, permitting, or regulations.

Step 3: Plan where to host your voter registration party! We recommend looking to places that already bring together your community, such as a park, church, or even a parking lot. Your party can take place in-person or virtually if that is where your community convenes. Ideas include tabling at your local grocery store, a family reunion, or work party.

Step 4: Plan your hook! What about this voter registration party will entice people to come? You can make a big impact on a small budget with some balloons, handmade signs, snacks, a portable speaker, and a great playlist. Also, collaboration is key. Think through collaboration with organizations and affinity groups in your community that can bring people to your event. Ideas include places of worship, community centers, local businesses, shelters, sports leagues, performance spaces, and even local DJs, artists, and community leaders to promote and join your voter registration event. (Please note collaboration with political organizations or candidates is not permitted!) If your activation is providing food, entertainment, buttons, stickers, or anything else, it must be provided to everyone who stops by, people who do and do not register to vote or check their voter registration status alike. Remember, it’s a celebration for the whole community and everyone is welcome! 

Step 5: Post your voter registration party on Eventbrite to encourage people from your community to join you! You can use your Eventbrite event to ask for volunteers and/or to encourage more foot-traffic to your party. Please use “Voter Registration Party” in the title of your event, so When We All Vote can promote your event and encourage more people to attend. 

When We All Vote Registration Event Checking In

Step 6: Promote your voter registration party! Studies show that effective parties and events consistently included three touch points per voter through at least two different modes of direct contact. This can include reaching out to your community directly via texts or calls, in-person promotion like knocking on doors, or promoting broadly on social media. It’s also a great idea to engage with local news outlets and radio stations, neighborhood Facebook groups and community websites like NextDoor, and to put flyers up in high-trafficked areas. Make it clear that anyone can attend and is welcome, the party is totally free, and that it’s entirely nonpartisan. Get creative and make sure to highlight what is fun and unique about your event.  

Step 7: Host your voter registration party! Have fun, stay hydrated, be positive, and make sure to encourage voter registration in a nonpartisan way. We suggest the following best practices when running your voter registration party: 

DO’S

  • Start the conversation with: “Hello, with the midterms around the corner, have you checked your voter registration status?” or “Hi, I am holding a voter registration event — do you know if you are registered to vote?” 
  • Share our voter registration portal to help people check their voter registration status or register to vote. The resource is weall.vote/eventbrite. Place this URL everywhere throughout your event, from handmade signs to social media posts or even chalk on the sidewalk. 
  • Always treat people with respect, whether or not they are ultimately interested in checking their voter registration status.
  • Point people to your state’s Secretary of State office if they have specific voter registration questions.
  • During the event, share on social media. Tag @WhenWeAllVote and @eventbrite, ​so they can amplify your posts. Have fun!

DON’TS

  • Do not fill out someone’s voter registration for them. Simply point them to our resource, weall.vote/eventbrite.
  • Do not engage in political discussion. Keep the conversation centered around registering to vote.

Check out these voting resources from When We All Vote:

You might also want to check out these handy resources while planning and running your voter registration event.

  • Your Voter Registration Portal: Use this portal to help your community check their status and register to vote. Remember, it is weall.vote/eventbrite
  • Voting 101: ​When We All Vote’s one-stop-shop to check your registration, register to vote, and find answers to your questions about voting. 
  • Know Your Voting Rights​: ​This page refers to great resources and information about voter protection and points to voter ID resources, an election protection hotline, and resources for returning citizens. 
  • Find Your Polling Place: Make sure you know where to vote by checking your polling place
  • Check What’s On Your Ballot: When We All Vote has teamed up with BallotReady to help people understand what’s on their ballot in the midterm elections. 

With your help, we can strengthen our country’s civic participation and make sure everyone’s voices are heard in each and every election!