Guidelines for Oregon Church Voter Registration Drive
Preparation
Two weeks before the First Sunday Registration
Bulletin insert and Pulpit Announcements:
Three Sundays for Voter Registration
Dates: September 27th, October 4th, and October 11th
Voter Registration Deadline: October 13th, 5PM
Why it is important that We Vote:
Slides about voting can be downloaded from the Restore America Website for projection on church screen(s) at the outset of the announcement and/or each Sunday of the registration drive. www.restoreamerica.org
The Party Comparison Document can be downloaded from the Restore America homepage as well. At least 3 copies should be available at each Registration Table.
Announcement Content:
If you have moved, changed your address or name, or simply want to change your Party registration, or ensure your registration is current, you need to re-register. Your name and registration may have been purged from the voter rolls if you have not voted in several elections.
Immediate Tasks
Pastor, Staff, or Designate Obtain Voter Registration Cards from County Elections office.
Call first to be sure they have them on hand in the number you want. Obtain them early before the rush.
Have enough for Church Office/Foyer/Sunday and Midweek Services, and Students who will be 18 before Election Day.
Pastor, staff, or Board Member should designate a person who has shown interest in good citizenship, and is of respected character, to be in charge of Sunday Set Up of Registration Tables and person(s) in the congregation to assist at the table or tables depending on the size of the church and how many services are held.
First Sunday Set Up
Designate the location in which the registration table(s) are to be located. Set up the evening before or Sunday Morning 30 minutes before the first service. Keep the registration cards in the office until the morning set up.
Have all registration forms, pens, and Party Comparison Documents available if church members need to review them before registering.
At The Table(s)
If some are unsure if they are registered, encourage them to register or reregister. Ask all who wish to register or re-register for picture identification verification before giving them a registration card. If they are under 18 at the time of the election or not a citizen, they cannot register to Vote.
Some persons may not be sure in which Party they wish to register. It is wise to have two to 5 sets of the Two Main Party Comparison Pages from Family Research Council (FRC) available at each registration table to review before they register if they choose. They can be downloaded and copied from the Restore America Web Site homepage at www.restoreamerica.org
After the service or services have concluded and all who wanted to register have completed their cards, count the cards and write the tally on a card to be handed, along with the completed cards, to the Pastor or Staff person overseeing the registration drive. The registration cards are private and confidential and should be kept by the Pastor or Designate in a safe place and taken to the County Elections office the next day. The names only of each person registering can be placed on a list in case there is any question about their having registered.
A receipt should be requested at the Elections office with the number of registration cards being submitted, and then returned to the Pastor or designate.
Second Sunday
Pastor or Designee again Announces the Drive and any items that need to be mentioned again, as a reminder that Sunday the 11th is the last day of the drive and the church would deliver the cards for those whose job or personal situation would prove difficult to deliver in person by the 5PM deadline on October 13th.
Make sure you have enough Registration Cards, pens, Party Comparison Pages and Volunteers to oversee the registration process.
The same steps should be followed as described above for the first Sunday.
Third Sunday
Pastor or designee announce this is the last Sunday they can register before the Tuesday Registration Deadline.
He should again offer to have the completed registrations taken to the County
Elections office on Monday morning by himself or designated staff or Board Member, for those who find it difficult because of health, age or work to do so in person. Their choice.
By Sunday, it is too late to mail in the registration forms.
The same registration and delivery steps to the County Elections office should be followed. You are encouraged to contact David Crowe with any questions related to this Guideline, at david@restoreamerica.org
This Guide can be downloaded from the www.restoreamerica.org Homepage, and is provided by Restore America, P.O. Box 147 Grimsley, Tennessee 38565
