The mission of the Michigan Democratic Party Voter Protection Team is to protect voting rights and help elect Michigan Democrats up and down the ticket! We are recruiting volunteers in all areas of voter protection to ensure that voters can access a ballot and have their votes counted during the 2024 elections.
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Sign up for any of the following roles by filling out this Volunteer Interest Form.
Who can be a Voter Protection Volunteer
- Any individual with an interest in assisting and advocating on behalf of voters, and combating voter suppression, is welcome to join our team.
- In order to be a Challenger, either at a polling place, a clerk’s office, or an absentee ballot counting room, you do need to be registered to vote in Michigan. Out-of-state volunteers can serve in any of the other roles. If you are registered to vote in Michigan, you can be a Challenger anywhere in the state.
- You cannot be both a poll worker (hired by city/township clerks to help administer the election) and a poll challenger on Election Day. If you are planning to be a poll worker, we recommend you volunteer in one of our other roles, like Pre-Election Day Challenger, Hotline Staff, or Phone Bank Team, all of which will have available shifts prior to Election Day.
ELECTION DAY POLL CHALLENGERS
After being trained, Election Day Poll Challengers serve as our team’s eyes and ears on the ground at polling locations on Election Day. They observe the process and intervene with election officials as needed, to make sure that voters are able to cast a ballot that counts. Our Challengers do NOT challenge voters; rather, they advocate for voters. Poll Challengers must be registered to vote in Michigan and they receive credentials from the MDP.
Ready to take the next step? Sign up here!
ELECTION DAY ABSENTEE BALLOT COUNTING BOARD (AVCB) CHALLENGERS
Some volunteers serve as Counting Board Challengers. After training, volunteers will be assigned to a counting room to observe the process, intervene with election officials as needed, and report any issues to the Voter Protection Team. Counting Board Challengers must be registered to vote in Michigan and they receive credentials from the MDP.
Ready to take the next step? Sign up here!
PRE-ELECTION DAY CHALLENGERS
After being trained, Pre-Election Day Challengers create a flexible schedule to visit an assigned clerk’s office each week during the Absentee Voting period (40 days before Election Day or a polling location during the Early Vote period (at least 9 days before Election Day) to make sure all relevant rules are being followed, and that there are no impediments to Pre-Election Day voting.
Ready to take the next step? Sign up here!
HOTLINE VOLUNTEERS
Providing voters with accurate information is critical and is the primary task of our Hotline Volunteers. Volunteers will be trained on software that allows you to accept calls remotely and answer questions from voters across the state. They also do voter and volunteer outreach in their downtime. This role can be done remotely and will run through Election Day (11/05/24).
Ready to take the next step? Sign up here!
PHONE BANK TEAM – RECRUITMENT & CONFIRMATION
Members of the Phone Banker Team mainly do outreach to their fellow volunteers. They help us recruit volunteers to join our voter protection team by calling through lists of former volunteers. They also make confirmation calls to volunteers who are signed up for training sessions or volunteer shifts to confirm attendance and answer any questions that the volunteer may have. This role can be done remotely.
Ready to take the next step? Sign up here!
CURE TEAM
Cure Team members contact voters whose voted absentee ballots have been marked as rejected by their clerk and are eligible for correction. Team members notify the voter of the need to cure their ballots, and instruct them on how to make sure their ballot will be counted. This role can be done remotely and is active during the month before every Election Day.
Ready to take the next step? Sign up here!
POST-ELECTION COUNTY CANVASS OBSERVER
County Canvass Observers observe the county-level canvass and certification of votes that starts no later than the Thursday after Election Day in every county in the state, and report any issues to the Voter Protection Team. Let us know you’re interested in observing a county canvass or would like more information!
Ready to take the next step? Sign up here!
HOTLINE MANAGER
Hotline Managers train and manage volunteers during daily hotline shifts, assist the Voter Protection Team in running hotline shifts, and help volunteers answer voter questions and troubleshoot our technology.
Ready to take the next step? Contact Melissa at [email protected]
PHONE BANK CAPTAIN
Phone Bank Captains manage the people who make calls for recruiting or ballot cure. They work with the Voter Protection Team to develop strategies, assist with phone banks and events while learning the process, and then run their own phone banks when they feel ready.
Ready to take the next step? Contact Melissa at [email protected]
CURE TEAM CAPTAIN
Cure Team Captains manage the volunteers who make phone calls to voters whose absentee ballots have been rejected and need to be “cured” in order to count.
Ready to take the next step? Contact Melissa at [email protected]
TECH CAPTAIN
Tech Captains assist volunteers with the technology that volunteers use, including DialPad (the software that allows hotline volunteers to answer hotline calls remotely), Slack, and LBJ (the website that Poll Challengers & Hotline Operators use to report issues).
Ready to take the next step? Contact us at [email protected]
