From its inception in early 2017, FLIP NC has focused on voter outreach in advance of elections. But voter protection and voter outreach on election day and during the early voting period are also key areas where volunteers are needed – and filling these shifts has never been as crucial as it is now.
If you are interested in helping to protect the vote during this election, consider assisting with the ballot cure process, staffing North Carolina’s new Rides To The Polls Hotline, working the polls for the Board of Elections, becoming a vote protector, or joining a MAT team. Learn more below!
Assist Voters with the Ballot-Curing Process
Sign up here.
The Job: North Carolina voters who make a mistake on their absentee ballot must receive notice and an opportunity to fix mistakes, which will help ensure a greater number of North Carolina ballots are counted this election.
Through Oct. 20, 606,389 mail-in ballots have been received in our state. About 10,000 ballots have been identified as having issues that voters may have the chance to correct, and that number will increase as the election nears.
Volunteers are needed to do the work of canvassing voters who have deficient ballots but no phone number listed in the voter file. Help ensure that these voters are not disenfranchised!
Volunteer to Staff Mijente’s Rides To The Polls Hotline
Email briana@flipnc.org (subject line “Rides To The Polls”) for the link to sign up.
The Job: Work in four-hour shifts during early voting (Oct. 15-31) or on election day to staff a hotline to help voters in North Carolina connect with rides to the polls through Lyft (where available) or community partners.
Requirements:
Attend a training (ongoing beginning Tuesday 10/13) and commit to at least one four-hour shift during early voting.
Be able to work four-hour shifts with access to a computer.
Why It Matters: No one should be denied their right to vote due to lack of transportation. Help voters across the state access a safe ride to and from the polls!
Become an Election Worker
The Job: Election workers are employed by county boards of elections to operate the polls during early voting and on election day. They set up voting equipment, check in voters, process ballots, assist voters with special needs, and close down/secure the voting site at the end of the day.
Requirements:
Must be a registered voter living in the precinct where you wish to serve. (This year only, because of a lack of poll workers, some exceptions might be made.)
Can’t be a candidate or relative of a candidate in the election, an elected government official, hold office with a political party or be a manager or treasurer for a candidate or political party.
Can’t serve at the same polling place as a spouse, child, spouse of a child, sister or brother.
Why It Matters: These workers quite literally make the process of voting in person possible! Given concerns around the pandemic, many regular election workers are being forced to sit this year out, due to health considerations. Many North Carolina counties are currently staffed but are still accepting back-up workers – a real need due to Covid-19! Without enough poll workers, some polling places may have to shut down. Sign up soon to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Work as a Vote Protector with Democracy NC
Sign up for the final statewide training (10/13) here
The Job: Vote Protectors (otherwise known as poll monitors) keep watch at polling sites for voter suppression or other issues. They help voters who encounter problems at the polls and ensure that every polling place is running as it should – sounding the alarm when something isn’t right.
Requirements:
Must attend a two-hour online training.
Must monitor one or more voting sites on Oct. 15, Oct. 31, and/or Nov. 3.
Must report problems to 888-OUR-VOTE hotline.
Must commit to represent Democracy NC in a non-partisan manner and sign a volunteer waiver.
Must be at least 16 years old with transportation to and from assigned polling place(s).
Why It Matters: North Carolinians deserve to vote without intimidation, confusion, or discouragement!
Note: In addition, the NC Democratic Party and the Poor People’s Campaign are also seeking vote protectors.
Join a MAT team
Sign up by contacting your County Board of Elections
The Job: A multipartisan assistance team – or “MAT” – is a group appointed by a county board of elections to provide assistance with mail-in absentee voting and other services to voters living at facilities such as hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes. A MAT includes at least two people who have different party affiliations. MAT team members help register voters, serve as absentee ballot witnesses, help to mark the ballot and seal the ballot, and help return the ballot.
Requirements: Ask your county Board of Elections!
Why It Matters: Owners, managers, directors, and employees of hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, or other care facilities are prohibited from providing their patience assistance with absentee voting. So others need to help do this work so that everyone’s voices can be heard in this election.
