healthy democracy campaign
Healthy Democracy for All
Welcome to the forefront of democracy, where healthcare students ignite change through the Healthy Democracy Campaign (HDC). As guardians of health, join a movement empowering thousands of healthcare students to be instruments of change inside and outside clinical walls – because a healthy democracy is the prescription for healed communities.
From September to Election Day, join in for some healthy competition where you are equipped with free, non-partisan Vot-ER tools, resources, and coaches. Teams will earn points and climb up the national leaderboard by encouraging patients and clients to register to vote, as well as completing other high impact actions to remind and encourage voting up until election day.
Whether you’re in medical, nursing, social work, pharmacy, dental, or any healthcare discipline – by empowering our community members to vote, we can improve systemic factors that impact patients’ individual abilities to improve their health.
It’s time to unite, mobilize, and catalyze change. Join the Healthy Democracy Campaign at your school today and be the prescription for a brighter future!
Healthy Democracy Campaign FAQs
The Healthy Democracy Campaign is an annual nonpartisan voter registration competition among healthcare education programs across the US. Participating teams receive nonpartisan civic engagement materials and compete to reach the most eligible voters.
The official 2024 Healthy Democracy Campaign begins September 3 and runs through November 5 (Election Day). However, you can start building your team now, recruiting members, and connecting with Vot-ER staff to plot out how to have the biggest impact once we hit election season!
All teams need at least one captain – we also recommend having a faculty advisor. While there is no minimum requirement for the number of students on a team, make sure you gather a solid group so you can ensure your impact ignites your campus.
Health issues are at stake in every election, and communities that are more likely to vote are also more likely to have their voices heard on important issues affecting their health. You have a unique opportunity to use your position in the health system to increase voter turnout. As a captain, you help lead your team to ensure your impact is felt across your campus. Plus, previous captains have gained valuable skills and knowledge.
As a team captain, you mobilize a team of students and faculty to score points by registering voters and completing high impact actions. Vot-ER provides your team with free digital voter registration badges and trains you in community organizing.
The Healthy Democracy Campaign is designed for healthcare students with busy schedules. The time commitment is flexible and ranges from 30 minutes to several hours per week. In general, the more time you dedicate to the Healthy Democracy Campaign, the better chance your team has of winning, achieving our goal of increasing voter turnout, and ultimately, creating a more inclusive democracy.
Vot-ER provides email templates and other resources that make it easy for you to make a big impact while saving time. If you are worried about the time commitment, we recommend finding a co-captain (or 2 or 3) to split the work. It’s even better if you team up with a co-captain from another class because your exams are less likely to fall on the same day.
The Healthy Democracy Campaign is designed for healthcare students with busy schedules. If you are not in a graduate program or residency for healthcare, social work, or public health, please email us at students@vot-er.org to see how you may be able to best plug in to our work.
Yes! No prior experience is necessary. We will provide all the training you need and any additional support you want!