Democracies Thrive When Cities Vote

March 9, 2022

The right to vote is a critical part of American democracy. Protecting that right is more important now than ever, as hundreds of bills threaten to make voting more difficult for residents in dozens of states across the country. Democracy is not fully realized when lawmakers impose barriers that result in disenfranchisement and prevent residents from having critical influence on issues such as schools, parks, housing, police and transportation. But city leaders can – and already are – leading the way to protect the democratic rights of their residents.

This playbook for nonpartisan voter engagement provides local leaders with specific recommendations on actions they can take to move their communities toward 100% democratic participation. It covers three key areas – voter education, voter engagement and voter access – in which residents, particularly those from marginalized communities, have historically faced barriers to voting.

Democratic participation has historically been viewed as a national challenge, but cities, towns and villages have the unique opportunity to be their residents’ strongest advocates in increasing civic participation. Download the guide to learn more about how your city can take action to address critical voting issues.