A Day for Democracy
A NON-partisan initiative, founded by CEOs, to encourage leaders across the U.S. to pledge to increase voter registration and participation of their employees.
Together we can make a difference
Join our growing list of members:
Understand Voter Participation Where You Live
Using the latest publicly available data at the state and county level, A Day for Democracy – in partnership with our pledge participant, Qlik – has developed an interactive map that visualizes voter participation in the 2016 election at the state and county level. Click the map below to explore disparities in voter participation in your state and across the U.S.
- Scroll up and down to zoom in and out around the cursor
- Pan left and right by holding down the right mouse button and moving the mouse
- See county-level detail by clicking on a state and clicking the green check mark in the upper right above the map.
- Return to the state-level by click on the “x” in the “state” button in the upper left above the map.
Be informed on the economic issues
Voters need the facts to understand today’s important economic issues. One of our pledge participants, EconoFact, is a non-partisan publication designed to bring key facts and incisive analysis to the national debate on economic and social policies. The work of the country’s leading academic economists who belong to the EconoFact Network is presented in an accessible manner that helps voters make informed choices at the polls. It is published by The Fletcher School at Tufts University.
Some of EconoFact’s recent memos include:
Or subscribe to the podcast series, EconoFact Chats, which covers topics like Immigration, Trade, Government Debt, Racism and Policing. One of their recent podcasts, entitled The Economy, COVID-19, and the 2020 Election, featured Binyamin Appelbaum of the New York Times, Scott Horsley of National Public Radio, Greg Ip of the Wall Street Journal and Heather Long of the Washington Post.
Support your employees
To support your employees in the voting process, we teamed up with TurboVote, a leading online service that aims to help individuals vote in every election – local, state and national.
To learn more, contact TurboVote and reference the A Day for Democracy campaign.
TurboVote offers:
Voter registration assistance
During the signup process, TurboVote guides the user through registering to vote via their state’s online voter registration portal, where available, or via the paper-based National Voter Registration Form (NVRF).
By-mail ballot assistance
Via TurboVote’s notifications, TurboVote guides users through the vote-by-mail process, including how to request a vote-by-mail (or absentee) ballot in states where a request is required.
Election reminders
Democracy Works keeps track of elections around the country at the federal, state, and local levels. Users can choose to receive reminders by email, text, or both, with all of the logistical information needed to successfully cast a ballot. TurboVote also sends notifications when election information changes. For example, messages to alert voters to COVID-related changes.
Help desk
Help desk: Users can reply to any text or email from TurboVote to get in touch with its help desk, staffed by voting experts, who can answer their questions in English or Spanish.
Press & NEWS
PRESS RELEASE
Georgia Companies Join A Day for Democracy:
NY TIMES
TIME MAGAZINE
FIREFLY HEALTH
HEARST TV
UNION LEADER 2
PRESS RELEASE
Download A Day For Democracy Press Release here:
UNION LEADER 1
HARVARD
PR WEEK
BOSTON BAR
MASS BIO
FISCHTANK PR
PRESS RELEASE
Download A Day For Democracy Press Release here:
BLOOMBERG
BAYSTATE BUSINESS, 2020
Bob Reynolds, CEO of Putnam Investments (57:19), Joins A Day for Democracy
BOSTON GLOBE
ON AIR PODCAST
WGBH NEWS
ASSOC. PRESS
AP, SEPTEMBER 2020
More companies pledge to give workers time to vote – By Dee-Ann Durbin
FINTECH
BLUE CROSS
BOSTON GLOBE
BG Business, September 2020
Need time off to volunteer at the polls? More companies are offering the option
QLIK
VOTER REGISTRATION
ABSENTEE BALLOTS
MORE RESOURCES
VOLUNTEER TO BE A POLL WORKER
VOTER REGISTRATION
ABSENTEE BALLOTS
MORE RESOURCES
VOLUNTEER TO BE A POLL WORKER
Am I eligible to vote?
You are eligible to vote if:
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You are a US citizen
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You meet your state’s residency requirements
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You are 18 years old or older
How do I register to vote by mail?
To Vote By Mail
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Download the National Mail Voter Registration Form (NMVRF) here: https://www.eac.gov/voters/national-mail-voter-registration-form
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You can also find NMVRF and state voter registration forms at libraries, public schools, and city and county clerks’ offices. Please note that of these offices are still closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Complete the form and submit it by mail according to the instructions. The NMVRF has a “State Instructions” section that lists the requirements for each state.
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North Dakota, Wyoming, and the U.S. territories American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands do not accept the NMVRF. New Hampshire accepts the form only as a request for a state absentee voter mail-in registration form
How do I register to vote in-person?
Register to vote at:
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State or local voter registration or election offices.
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The Department of Motor Vehicles.
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Public assistance agencies.
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Armed services recruitment centers.
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State-funded programs that serve people with disabilities.
Any public facility that a state has designated as a voter registration agency.
Once you’ve registered to vote, find your polling place here: https://www.vote.org/polling-place-locator/
How do I register to vote online?
To learn if your state offers online voter registration, contact your state or local election office. You can find your state or local election office website and contact information here: https://www.usa.gov/election-office
When should I register to vote?
You can find out your state’s registration deadline here: https://www.vote.org/voter-registration-deadlines/
You may also contact your state or local election office to find out your state’s registration deadline. You can find your state or local election office website and contact information here: https://www.usa.gov/election-office
Many states have online tools where you can check your registration status. You can find out whether you are registered to vote here: https://www.vote.org/am-i-registered-to-vote/
Are there special requirements the first time I vote?
If you registered by mail, you might have to show proof of identification the first time you vote. This proof of identification includes:
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A current and valid photo identification.
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A current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or government document that shows your name and address.
You may not have to show proof of identification if:
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You provided copies of the proof of identification with your voter registration form.
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Your state or local election official matched the driver’s license number or Social Security information on your application with a Federal or state identification record bearing the same number, name, and date of birth.
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You are entitled by Federal law to vote by absentee ballot.
What is early voting?
Some states might allow you to cast a ballot before election day at:
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A jurisdiction’s election office.
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Another designated polling place.
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A ballot drop site.
The chart here shows state-by-state rules on early voting: https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/early-voting-in-state-elections.aspx#Early%20Voting%20Law%20Table
What is absentee voting?
If you cannot go to your polling place on election day, you may qualify to cast an absentee ballot.
Some states offer “no-excuse” absentee voting, which allows any eligible citizen to cast an absentee ballot.
Other states allow you to cast an absentee ballot only if you cannot vote at the polling place for a reason outlined in state law, such as illness or physical absence from the jurisdiction for a certain number of hours on election day.
States also have different deadlines for requesting and submitting absentee ballots. You can find your state’s deadlines here: https://www.vote.org/absentee-ballot-deadlines/
You are entitled by Federal law to vote by absentee ballot in Federal elections if you meet qualifications outlined in the Voting Rights Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, and Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act.
Where do I vote?
You are assigned to a polling place based on the home address on your voter registration record.
Some states have ballot drop sites instead of polling places.
To find out the location of your polling place or ballot drop sites, you may visit this polling place locator: https://www.vote.org/polling-place-locator/
You may also contact your state or local election office to find out the location of your polling place or ballot drop sites. You can find your state or local election office website and contact information here: https://www.usa.gov/election-office
What is provisional voting?
If your eligibility to vote in a Federal election is in question, you must be offered a provisional ballot at the polling place. The possible reasons you would receive a provisional ballot include:
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Your name does not appear on the official voter list at your polling place.
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Your eligibility is challenged in accordance with state law.
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You did not provide the required identification to register or at the polling place on election day.
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A court order requires provisional ballots.
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A court order extends polling place hours.
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State law mandates provisional ballots.
You have a right to cast a provisional ballot if you declare you are eligible and registered to vote in that jurisdiction. Your provisional ballot will be counted if the state or local election official later deter mines that you were eligible and registered to vote under state law.
How do I vote if I am a uniformed or overseas citizen?
To register to vote or request a ballot as a member of the military or overseas citizen, use the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA).
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The FPCA is available at fvap.gov
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The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) Web portal offers a step-by-step guide to the voter registration process.
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All states and territories accept the FPCA as a simultaneous application for registration and request for an absentee ballot.
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Depending on your state of residence, return the completed FPCA by e-mail, fax, or mail.
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Printed copies of the FPCA are available at U.S. embassies, military bases, and consular offices. Voting Assistance Officers at those sites can provide any in – formation or assistance you may need to complete the form.
You may also request the electronic transmission of blank voting materials.
Is voting accessible if I have a disability?
Multiple federal laws require state and local governments ensure that people with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. For example, many polling places include:
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Clearly marked parking spaces.
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Entrances with ramps.
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Well-marked routes and signage to voting locations.
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Voting equipment that is accessible for individuals with disabilities, including the blind and visually impaired.
For a full list of U.S. laws protecting the rights of voters with disabilities, please visit: www.ada.gov/ada_voting/ada_voting_ta.htm
Is language assistance provided?
The Voting Rights Act requires some jurisdictions to provide voting materials in languages other than English. Other jurisdictions voluntarily offer such assistance. Language assistance may include:
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Equipping polling places with ballots and voting instructions in other languages.
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Staffing polling places with bilingual poll workers.
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Providing voting information online in languages other than English.
Contact your state or local election office to learn more about language assistance in your area. You can find your state or local election office website and contact information here: https://www.usa.gov/election-office
May I request assistance to vote?
Under Federal law, you may bring an individual to assist you in voting for reasons of:
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Blindness
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Disability
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Inability to read or write
Federal law prohibits you from receiving voting assistance from your employer or an agent of your employer, or from an officer or agent of the voter’s union. A poll worker can provide voting assistance to:
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First-time voters.
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Voters with disabilities.
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Voters at polling places with new voting equipment.
How do I report a problem or file a complaint?
If you experience a problem at a polling place or with voting procedures in your jurisdiction, there are multiple options available to you. You may:
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Contact your state or local election office for information on complaint procedures. You can find your state or local election office website and contact information here: https://www.usa.gov/election-office
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Register a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice at (800) 253–3931 or email section@usdoj.gov
How can I become a poll worker?
Election workers are essential to ensuring that elections are a success. With each election, millions of Americans dedicate themselves to sustaining the backbone of democracy – our election process. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission encourages those interested in becoming election workers at the polls on election day to learn more about what is required and how to sign up to work with your local election official.
Get started and find out if you are eligible. Go to the State Compendium of Election Worker Laws and Statutes for a list of requirements by state. Things to look for include:
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Whether you must be a registered voter in the state.
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Whether there is an age requirement.
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Whether there is a residency requirement.
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Whether a political party affiliation is required.
