Voter ID Assistance volunteer work may be more challenging than other volunteer roles you’ve done in the democracy space. While we will always be here to support you, it is crucial that you understand the responsibilities that come with this role.
Time Commitment: ~3 hours per week.
While the VIDA volunteer role is very independent and you can set your volunteer hours, volunteers who have long-term success in this opportunity commit themselves to at least 3 hours of work most weeks of the year.
Required Skills:
Here are the qualities that make a good VIDA volunteer:
I am technologically savvy, or at least comfortable.
While the VoteRiders team will always be here to support you, volunteers must have some degree of comfort navigating technology and learning about new online platforms. You will need to do things like set up a Gmail account, learn our online case management system, and be comfortable working with multiple tabs on your computer.
Volunteers will need consistent access to the Internet, a cell phone, and a laptop or desktop computer.
I love working one-on-one with people.
As an ID assistance volunteer, you will guide voters from the very beginning of their case until the end when they receive their ID and register to vote. Sometimes, that process can take months. If you enjoyed building a relationship with someone and consistently working with them one-on-one, you will love this work!
I like detective work.
Our voters often face significant challenges to get their IDs. As a VIDA volunteer, you will act as a guide through these barriers. In more unique cases, it might involve things like: searching ancestry.com for a voter’s family history, collaborating with a pro-bono attorney to complete a legal name change, or helping someone update the gender marker of their ID. Even in more typical cases, challenges come up, and we have to get creative to help our voters.
This work will speak to you if you’re someone who doesn’t need to know all the answers right away and can dive in and learn as you go.
I am self-directed.
In most cases, volunteers set their own hours and work independently. This means our volunteers need to be good at managing their own schedule and be comfortable working by themselves. While there will be many opportunities to connect and collaborate with VoteRiders staff and volunteers, being able to work on your own is crucial to your success as a VIDA volunteer.
I am patient.
Sometimes this work is tough! Our voters often face many challenges in their personal lives, and seeing them get caught up in bureaucracy can be frustrating. You will succeed in this work if you can encounter those frustrations and keep moving forward with patience and determination.
Technology & Tools Needed
As mentioned above, technology is at the core of our work at VoteRiders. You will need to use the following platforms in your work:
- Zendesk: case management system
- Bill.com: online credit card and expense management platform
- Volunteer Intranet/Portal: houses all guides and training materials on ID assistance
- Gmail: all volunteers will be issued a VoteRiders Gmail account for their volunteer work
- Slack: virtual communication platform
Note: We will have thorough trainings of these platforms in the upcoming modules!
