The Democracy Commitment (TDC) and Rock the Vote are pleased to announce a new partnership for Engage the Election 2014 (#e214)—a continuance of TDC’s first signature initiative, Engage the Election: 2012, that focuses on the midterm election.

Rock the Vote is the nation’s largest organization building the political power of young people in politics and has run the largest voter registration drives for young people on record during the past six Presidential elections. By engaging Millennials in a way that is meaningful to them—at the intersection of pop culture, new technology, and politics— Rock the Vote ensures they are registered to vote, are educated about their rights, and have the information they need to cast an informed ballot in every election.

This year, Rock the Vote is focused on empowering young people to demonstrate their political power in the 2014 midterm election. In the United States today there are currently more than 45 million eligible voters between the ages of 18 and 29, with another 12,000 people turning 18 every day. While this age group has the potential to become the most significant voting bloc in the nation, its participation in our democracy remains lackluster. The power of young people as consumers and creators is well documented; now they must harness that power as voters and changemakers.

Through this partnership, Rock the Vote will provide a free, user-friendly online voter registration tool that partners can customize and use to register their supporters, communities and others to register online. The tool:

• Was recently recommended by the Presidential Commission on Election Administration as the premier third-party tool for registering voters, so anyone who adopts the tool can know that they are using the gold standard in online voter registration technology.
• Is easy to use and walks registrants through the voter registration process step by step. If any information is missing or filled out incorrectly, the registrant will be prompted to provide additional information.  These safeguards ensure that applications are complete and correct.
• Enables residents of all 50 states and the District of Columbia to register. Rock the Vote regularly updates the tool so that it complies with all state-specific voting laws.
• Is available in 13 languages. Once applicants arrive at the form, they can select their preferred language from the drop down menu.
• Allows new registrants to receive follow-up communications from AASCU member institutions and from Rock the Vote reminding and encouraging them to vote.

Rock the Vote also offers Democracy Class-a fun 45-minute lesson program that uses video, a discussion and a mock election exercise to equip young people with the skills they need to navigate the elections process and participate as active citizens.

If you are interested in taking advantage of Rock the Vote’s free election resources to help your school increase student voting rates, contact Dominic Lowell, Rock the Vote’s Director of Strategic Partnerships, at (202) 719-9910 or [email protected]. Please copy me, TDC National Coordinator Stephanie South at [email protected], on your email.