Getting Started with TurboVote
New to TurboVote? This guide will help you navigate the platform and related resources as an Implementer for your campus, organization, or company.
About TurboVote
TurboVote is an online tool that helps people vote every year in every election—local, state, and national. It’s free, easy to use, and can help voters from all 50 states and D.C. TurboVote is a product of Democracy Works, a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that works to simplify, modernize, and increase accessibility around this country’s voting process. Learn more here.
Tools for Partners
We’re thrilled to welcome you to the TurboVote community! As your implementation of TurboVote gets underway, keep in mind the partner benefits and resources available to you.
Team TurboVote (Reach out to us at any time: partnerships@democracy.works)
Watch the Implementer Guide video to learn more about using TurboVote tools as an implementing Partner:
Who This Toolkit Is For
TurboVote Implementation Leads are the partner representatives TurboVote staff correspond with most, and are the intended audience for this toolkit. They are the main point of contact on behalf of partners, and included on all important updates or questions from TurboVote. Who this person is can vary; it could be the Director of Civic Engagement, a Corporate Social Responsibility leader, or a hybrid team, such as a faculty member plus two students who play an integral role in implementing TurboVote.
Implementation Leads are kept up-to-date on TurboVote matters including—but not limited to—best practices for promoting the tool, important tech updates such as system maintenance, major voting dates and deadlines, and invitations to meetings and webinars. The Implementation Lead might also manage the renewal of your TurboVote partnership agreement (but not always).
Does this sound like you? Then you’re the Implementation Lead. If you’re in more of a supportive role, you’re an Implementation Supporter–you’ll be included on our partner newsletter and general communications, too, but we’ll be a bit less in contact.
Getting Started Checklist
Getting started with TurboVote is easy! Follow this list to learn the ins-and-outs of the tool, customize your site with your organization’s branding, and make a plan to engage your audience with TurboVote.
Complete your own TurboVote signup and explore other features
The best way to get acquainted with TurboVote is to sign up on the tool yourself! Please navigate to your site, [your URL].turbovote.org, and complete a signup via the Register to Vote button. Take time to go through the other features, as well, to understand how the tool can be used for voter engagement, education, and getting out the vote.
Attend a TurboVote walkthrough
A member of the partner support team will be in touch to schedule a 45-minute thorough walkthrough of your TurboVote site, the Admin Console, and our best practices. Please invite anyone who will be leading TurboVote work!
Log in to your TurboVote Admin Console
You’ll receive an invitation to set up your TurboVote Admin Console account. Once you do, log in and explore! The Admin Console will be most useful when you have lots of signups to analyze, but getting acquainted right away is useful to help you get to know what type of data will be available to you later on.
Submit a site customization request
If you would like to change the colors of your TurboVote site to match your institution’s branding, customize some of the instructional language, or add a video or other media, please complete a customizations request. Our team will review the changes, contact you if we have questions or edits, and complete the customizations within five business days.
Review the TurboVote Toolkit (this site!)
Our TurboVote Toolkit stores our best practices, tips, and success stories from years of helping partners to implement TurboVote. Browse through to get ideas and start thinking of how to engage your audience with the tool.
Create a TurboVote implementation plan
Finally, let folks know about your TurboVote site! Our favorite ways to do this are sending a campus, organization, or business-wide email, placing TurboVote within a mandatory orientation or training process like course registration and employee onboarding, and promoting TurboVote online via social media. We also recommend incorporating TurboVote into your voter engagement action plan (or drafting one if you haven’t yet).
As you begin your voter engagement work with TurboVote, make sure you have a plan to engage with members of your audience who are members of historically-disenfranchised groups, like users of color, those with disabilities, transgender and gender non-conforming folks, and any others. In addition, don’t forget about other members of your community who may also be members of disenfranchised groups, like faculty, staff, and volunteers. Many of these people will face additional barriers to voter registration and voting, which you should be aware of and prepared to help them navigate. Effectively engaging these groups may require dedicated messaging, as well as specific outreach to affinity organizations, DEI staff, and other relevant entities. Remember, you should aim to reach every member of your audience and encourage them to register and vote!
Page last updated on: 02/09/2023