Vot-ER Badge User Guide

👋 Welcome to the Vot-ER badge user guide!

The Vot-ER community is made up of tens of thousands of healthcare professionals who are dedicated to bringing civic engagement to our healthcare system. We're so glad you're one of them!

By using the Vot-ER badge in your daily practice, you can help your patients prepare for each and every opportunity to advocate for their health at the ballot box.

To get started, watch the 4-minute training video, explore our conversation starters, and review our legal guidance and FAQs.

(In case you have found your way here but don't have a badge yet, you can order your free Vot-ER badge here .)

Training Video

Conversation Starters

Do you smoke? Do you drink? Are you safe at home? Are you registered to vote?
We’re all done with this part of your history. I now want to transition to something else that’s really important to your health and wellbeing, and that’s voting. Are you registered to vote?
Before I leave, I’d like to check if you are eligible to vote and registered to vote at your current address. Your vote is a powerful tool to address and improve issues you care about, like your health.

More conversation starters

FAQs & Legal Guidelines

What if a patient is interested in learning more or has specific questions?

You can say, "Once you scan my badge, there will be an option at the bottom of the page to text an expert with your questions—feel free to use the hotline, they would love to hear from you."

What if a patient asks you if they are allowed to register to vote?

To be eligible to register to vote patients must be:

a citizen of the United States(residents in all 50 states eligible)
18 years old on or before the next election
not be currently incarcerated for a felony conviction

What if the system goes down?

You can send an email to the VotER team at: contactvot.er@gmail.com Please send a description of the problem. A picture of the issue on screen helps but is not necessary.

What do I say when asked about the difference between Republicans and Democrats?

There is no good answer or any accurate source that doesn’t have a bias outside of the party websites. You could mention the names of the current nominees for political office and their party, but go no further. Do the same as you would do when asked about who you support and tell them to ask a friend or go to the political party official websites.

Can I say anything about specific candidates?

You can only answer simple facts like what party they are in, if they’re an incumbent or challenger or where they live. Don’t state your preferences.

What if someone asks me who I support or who they should vote for?

Remind them that as a hospital employee, you must be nonpartisan. Your options are:

Encourage the person to talk to a friend or family member they trust and share values with.
Direct the person to nonpartisan online tools provided by Non-Profit VOTE’s Voting In Your State: 50 State Guide that gives patients voter info.
Closer to the election, you can link them to online tools that let voters know what’s on their ballot by directing them to Google “What’s on (my state) ballot?

What if I'm asked how this works and what is okay to talk about on a nonpartisan basis?

You can provide information about how VotER can be used to request a mail in ballot. You can bring up voter registration. You can also refer patients to the voter registration tools
if they ask about how to register to vote or are curious about the process. In these cases you can respond:

"The platform will guide you through step by step."

Download Clinician FAQs (PDF)