How You Can Help Voter Information.org

Isn't this resource free? Yes, but like most "free" things, someone pays for others to have it free. Perhaps you would like to be one of those people who help the resource be free for someone else.

Voters Information Packet (VIP) runs totally on volunteer labor and donations. We have refused grant opportunities in order to remain neutral. We have no funding from special interest groups.

Please use the button below to donate toward VoterInformation.org's expenses. In keeping with a low-overhead organizational model, VoterInformation.org is not a registered 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization at this time. Your donation will be used exclusively for VoterInformation.org operating expenses; however your donation is not tax-deductable.

Donation Opportunities

Volunteer Opportunities

Current Expenses

Because of mostly using phone and computer, and keeping mailings to a minimum, the project has run on very little for many years. That has also limited the exposure of the project to trusting word-of-mouth kind of networking with no major "marketing".

If it's all volunteer, what are the expenses?

1. Website hosting
2. Postage expenses
   • Postage for candidates mailings
   • Postage for announcement postcards
3. Printing expenses
   • Printing packets that are donated to libraries
   • Printing packets that are donated to callers

None of those people receive salaries, so most expenses center in the office supply type. The next big expense is to do a significant remake of the website.

Future Expenses

The website, too, was developed in 1998 by a couple of volunteers - both of whom have moved out of state. One of them now does website development as his business but he continues to host our website and donate the time of one of his employees who helps with updating the site once/week - during election cycles. Currently much of the work for putting information up on the website is rather "manual" and involves tedious copy and paste activities.

Ideally an upgrade would mean at least:

• Candidates could answer directly on the website,
• Voters could find the answers from their own candidates easily, and
• Judge opinion givers could provide input freely.

Please donate to help with the future of VoterInformation.org, contact us to volunteer, or better yet - both!

While there are many volunteers that help VoterInformation.org, some wear many hats just to get the job done. Below we've described some of the tasks that must be completed but that doesn't mean that a volunteer is limited to just one duty! Contact Kathy to volunteer.

Basically there are three categories in how Voters Information Packet works, and in each category there are a variety of kinds of people needed to make it happen.

Behind the scenes

These silent partners help in ways that are not necessarily involved in the day-to-day operations of VoterInformation.org. These hands-off individuals pray for candidates and Voter Information, or donate toward the expenses. Some help with all of these areas.

1. Prayer Warriors and Coordinator
   • Pray for candidates
   • Pray for volunteers
   • Pray for Voter Information needs
2. Donors
   • Funds
   • Services
   • Expertise

Research and Interviews

Most of the time and energy consumed by VoterInformation.org goes into researching issues and interviewing candidates. Volunteers need to be recruited, contact information collected, issues analyzed, candidates interviewed, and then it all has to be brought together and published online.

1. Volunteer Recruiters
   • Advertises available volunteering opportunities
   • Actively seeks and fills volunteering positions
2. Candidate Information Manager
   • Researches candidates running for office
   • Collects candidate history
   • Collects candidate responses
   • Maintains candidate contact information
3. Candidate Callers
   • Calls candidates for interviews
   • Emails and maintains contact with candidate to ensure responses
   • Reports responses to Candidate Information Manager
4. Issues Researchers and Writers
   • Researches and analyzes current issues
   • Provides summaries of legal-language ballot questions
5. Judge Opinion Researchers and Interviewers
   • Researches judges and judging history
   • Interviews lawyers, police officers, and others that may work with or near judges
6. Website Manager
   • Maintains website updates
   • Publishes candidate responses
7. Question Developers
   • Develop questionnaire for candidates
   • Overlaps with researching issues

Publishing and Advertising

The purpose of VoterInformation.org is to provide an information resource that voters may use to make an informed decision when they vote. Getting the word out encourages candidate responses, serves our community, and our future.

1. Print Version Distributor
   • Organizes the distribution of print copies to libraries, churches, and other community centers
2. Public Relations Manager
   • Manages existing and generates new advertising contacts
   • Coordinates advertising in churches, libraries, and community centers
   • Coordinates advertising via radio, print, and internet
3. Creative thinkers and artists
   • Create website and print artwork