Building Votes
BUILDING VOTES is the Bus Project’s nonpartisan youth voter registration & mobilization effort — we increase the youth voice in Oregon through volunteer-run voter registration, voter education and voter turn out.
We’re a little different than most voter registration programs. We use a community-based, peer-to-peer organizing style — to help get out the youth vote like crochety political old-timers never thought possible.
Why? Because face-to-face , peer-to-peer contact is the single best way to both register and motivate folks to vote — especially young people. It’s true.
The Goal:
- Register & turn out 20,000 young people to vote by November 2008.
Why young people?
Upcoming Registration Opportunities:
Call Melissa at 503.233.3018 or email melissa@busproject.org to RSVP!
AUGUST 2, Saturday. Action Day
Meet at Green Dragon (SE 9th & Belmont), 11 am
RSVP to 503.233.2018 or jenny.smith@busproject.org
Action Day Schedule
August 16 (Saturday)
August 24 (Sunday)
September 13 (Saturday)
September 27 (Saturday)
October 11 (Saturday)
How many can you make?
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How do we do it?
- Action Days: Our bread and butter. Small armies of volunteers deployed strategically throughout youth-dense neighborhoods, mostly in and around Portland and Eugene, build community in the streets (and street fairs and concerts and beer festivals).
- Student Vote Coalition: Working in close partnership with the fine folks of the Oregon Student Association and OSPIRG, Building Votes is registering and mobilizing college students across the state. When Students Vote, Students Win.
- High School Registration Drives: Taking advantage of a bill we helped pass in the 2007 legislature to allow 17 year-olds to register to vote, we’ve taken Oregon’s high schools by storm, training and empowering students to organize their own registration drives. Want Building Votes to come to your school or classroom? Just say the word.
- Vote Mob: Where there be young people, there be we. Come join the fun this year and get special access to Oregon’s fairs, music festivals, weekly concerts, summertime food and drink festivals, special events and other assorted soirees.
- Block Captain Network: An extended network of block and apartment captains, knocking on neighbors’ doors, building community one conversation at a time.
- Workplace Networks: Make sure your colleagues are registered to vote. It’s fun, and they’ll thank you.
- Miscellaneous Zaniness: Say that out loud; it’s fun. Do you know a good high-traffic registration spot? Want to suggest a costume theme for an Action Day? No idea is too wacky for us. Give us your best shot.
- Trick Or Vote! Start picking out your favorite canvassing costume now
They’re all talkin’ ’bout us…
April 25, 2008: Willamette Week, Bus Revs Up for Tuesday Voter Registration Deadline
“Aronson says the Bus Project is looking to register as many young voters as possible, since that voting population is traditionally underserved by the voting and elections process. He also says that this election year has been creating a lot of excitement amongst that population.”
April 3, 2008: The Statesman Journal, “Event Combines Music and Art with Chance to Register to Vote”
“Bus Project coordinator Melissa Chapman said young voters — anyone between 18 and 35 — often feel disenfranchised from the voting process, but the organization has found that just asking is the most direct way.
“We’re consistent and persistent,” she said.”
Register to vote here.
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Contact
Email (melissa@busproject.org) or call (503.233.3018) to get involved. Or sign up here.