Resources > Outreach letter to community organizations

Outreach letter to community organizations

A template for reaching out to community organizations to recruit poll workers.

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Partnering with community organizations can be a powerful way to recruit poll workers. Their reach and resources can help you expand your network and build stronger ties within the community.

This template can help you reach out to community organizations that you’re interested in working with. It is designed to save you time by providing you with sample language that can be adapted to your unique situation.

What you’ll need

What you’ll need

Getting started

Getting started

Begin by creating a list of community organizations that your jurisdiction would like to partner with and that are relevant to your mission. You’ll want to identify a main point of contact for each of these organizations, and gather the rest of their contact information.

Reach out to them using the template, explain your jurisdiction’s needs and the type of opportunities you have available. Consider offering to collaborate on a joint event or project to help build a relationship with the organization.

Using the tool

Using the Tool

We recommend that you place the template on your office’s letterhead. This will allow you to have easy access at all times. You should modify it as necessary to suit your needs.

Once you’ve edited and customized the template, you’re ready to reach out to community organizations as part of your poll worker recruitment efforts.

The Template

Dear {Organization},

As the upcoming election cycle draws near, we urge you to join us in our effort to recruit more poll workers. Poll workers play a crucial role in ensuring that elections are conducted in a fair and transparent manner. They are responsible for setting up polling stations, checking voter IDs, distributing ballots, and counting votes.

There are many benefits to becoming a poll worker. Not only do you get to play a direct role in the democratic process, but you also get paid for your time. In addition, you will have the opportunity to work alongside other members of your community and make new connections.

We encourage all community organizations to help us recruit more poll workers. There are a number of ways you can help, including:

  • Spreading the word: Share information about the need for poll workers with your members and on your social media channels. Encourage people to sign up to be poll workers and provide them with the necessary information and resources.
  • Hosting a recruitment event: Organize an event to promote poll worker recruitment and provide information about what it entails. You can also invite local election officials to speak and answer any questions people may have.
  • Hosting training: Our office needs adequate facilities to host poll worker training sessions. By offering to host a training session, you make it easier for members of your organization or community to become poll workers.

We hope you will consider joining us in our effort to recruit more poll workers. Please contact us at {contact information – website, email, and/or phone number} if you are interested in collaborating. By working together, we can help ensure that our elections are conducted in a fair and transparent manner.

Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Sincerely,
{Your Name}

Customizing for your office

Customizing for your office

Tailor each letter to the organization to which you are sending the letter. Make it personal to their mission by connecting how their mission can help your office.

We also recommend that you make it easy for interested poll workers to sign up and get involved, such as implementing the Digital Application Toolkit.

How do I know if this resource is helping?

If you are able in a poll worker application, create an option for the interested poll worker to select how they heard about the opportunity. Then your office can track which poll workers came from the organizations.

Which Values for Election Excellence does this resource support? Why?

Values for the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence define our shared vision for the way election departments across the country can aspire to excellence. These values help us navigate the challenges of delivering successful elections and maintaining our healthy democracy.

Alliance values are designed by local election officials, designers, technologists and other experts to support local election departments.

You may find this tool especially helpful for these Values:

  • Comprehensive preparedness, why: Being actively involved with community organizations will assist your office with recruiting poll workers and communicating about upcoming elections and deadlines.

To learn more about the Values for Election Excellence, and to see the full list, visit the Alliance website.

Sharing feedback

Sharing Feedback

How was this resource developed?

This resource has been developed based on research, but has yet to be tested with voters or put into practice. Share your experience with this resource and improve it for your peers by reaching out via support@ElectionExellence.org

How do I stay in touch?

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