Getting Gun Owners to vote:  Five simple things  by Stephen M. Dallas

How often, after yet-another gun control law passes or an anti-gun politician gets elected, do we hear “There’s more than enough gun owners in our state to defeat the gun-grabbers at the polls if they would just vote”?  More often than we’d like.

This problem isn’t limited to gun owners. In a typical presidential election year, no more than 60 percent of the voting-eligible population chooses to participate. Only about 40 percent vote during the midterms. And turnout in local elections tends to be even lower than in federal and statewide elections.

“Get Out the Vote,” or GOTV efforts can increase gun owner turnout during elections.  A nonprofit educational organization, such as SCOPE, may engage in GOTV efforts so long as it is nonpartisan in nature. According to the IRS, if a voter registration drive or a GOTV effort is done in an educational manner without favoring or opposing a candidate or having the effect of favoring or opposing a candidate, a nonprofit can conduct GOTV activities.

Here are five simple things that SCOPE members can do to encourage more gun owners to vote.

1.          Register Voters.    Get gun owners on the voter lists.

A study from Vote4America has revealed that there are 10 million gun owners and hunters in the United States who are not registered to vote.

Gun owners can’t vote if they aren’t registered.   Non-partisan groups can go out and register new voters.  

Finding new pro-2A voters depends on where you look. For example, in Bucks County, PA, for the first time since 2007, there are now more registered Republicans than Democrats.  This is the result of conservative activist Scott Presler.   Presler and his Early Vote Action went to gun shows in the state.  They registered brand new voters, new citizens, young voters and others.   What worked with Pennsylvania gun owners can work in New York!

Other places where 2A-voters might be located are sportsmen’s clubs, gun stores, American Legion posts and VFWs.   Bring voter registration forms, ask if you can leave them for the patrons.  Be respectful but don’t assume these organizations won’t encourage GOTV.  For example, the American Legion's "Get Out the Vote" program encourages all Americans to register and vote in all elections. “Legionnaires, posts, districts and departments are encouraged to fully involve themselves in the electoral process by serving as poll volunteers, poll workers and by encouraging and assisting others to register and vote” (https://www.legion.org/vote/about).   Don’t forget churches either.   The First Liberty Institute provides tips on how to successfully host a successful church-voter registration drive (https://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF10H53.pdf).  Many of their steps could be easily adapted for other locations where gun owners may be found.

Act quickly!  New York’s voter registration deadlines this year are between October 21 and October 26.  For more information, check with your local Board of Elections or the NYS Board of Elections website (https://elections.ny.gov/registration-and-voting-deadlines).

2.          Bank the vote.  Encourage (legal) mail-in voting, absentee voting and early voting.    

Mail-in and absentee ballots. A New York law allowing all registered voters to cast their ballots by mail was upheld in August by the state’s highest court.  The decision means that the millions of New Yorkers (including gun owners) eligible to vote in the November 5 election will be able to cast ballots by mail if they wish — something that only a handful of people could do before.

This means any registered New York voter may apply for a mail-in ballot. They can apply online (https://elections.ny.gov/request-ballot), in person at their local election office, or by designating another person to deliver their application to the local election office for them.

Mail-in ballot applications are due 10 days before the election. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Election Day or submitted in person by 9pm on Election Day to the County Board of Elections Office or polling site.

Certain New Yorkers are eligible to apply for an absentee ballot. The form to apply is different than, but the places to apply are the same as for mail-in ballots, and the ballot can be returned using the same methods as early mail voters.

Early voting.  Gun owners can also be encouraged to vote in-person via early voting.   Early voting is just like voting on Election Day. Early voters privately mark and scan their ballot at a polling place. Early voting results are counted, tabulated and included in election night totals.  There is no requirement to apply for early voting.  The process is completely walk-in.

Early voting for the general election is Saturday, October 26 through Sunday, November 3. Voters may visit any of their assigned Early Voting Centers in their county, except in New York City, where voters are assigned to one early voting site.  To find each county’s early voting locations, click here: https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov.  Early voting may be an especially attractive process in upstate New York, where even early November weather can be unpredictable, and voters may have difficulty making it to the polls on Election Day.   Early voting can also be a guard against other unexpected events that might arise on Election Day, from family obligations to workplace emergencies.

3.          Get voters to the polls.   Make that final push. 

Whether it’s absentee, mail-in, early voting or Election Day voting, there are various ways that non-profits can help get gun owners to polls, often through local sportsmen’s clubs, veterans or churches or similar 2A-friendly groups:

• Networking.  Use existing phone lists, email, mail, and newsletter distribution lists to share a final reminder about Election Day with gun-friendly groups’ members and make a push for them to get out and vote.  The message can be as simple as:

• “Remember, November 5 is Election Day! Do not forget to vote!”

• Become a  poll worker.  Poll workers sign in and process voters, demonstrate voting procedures to voters and assist voters if requested. In order to be eligible to serve as a poll worker, you must be a New York State registered voter.  Poll workers get paid for training and each day they work.  Sign up with your local board of election here: https://elections.ny.gov/form/become-a-poll-worker.

• Provide Rides to the Polls. Helping gun owners get to the polls is a great way to ensure that they vote.  We can do this on our own or in conjunction with others. Here are some things to do to create a successful strategy:

• Before Election Day, tell people that you will be offering rides to the polls on Election Day, and let them know that sign-ups are required. (Note that there will probably still be last minute requests and changes, especially if the weather conditions are poor.)

• Determine whether you will lead the effort or work with others.

• Establish how many cars, vans, and people will be involved/available.

• Train volunteers to ensure they remain nonpartisan during their interaction with the voters they transport (such as not asking them whom they are going to vote for).

• Divide Election Day into two-hour blocks of time (or more, depending on capacity).

• Have someone act as “dispatcher” to organize drivers and the requests for transportation that come in from voters.

“Today is Election Day! If you have questions about your polling place or the hours for voting, call 1-866-Our-Vote (1-866-687-8683) or visit www.vote411.org for information.”

“Your vote counts. Your vote matters. Support your rights as a gun owner and vote today!”

4.          Fight voter fraud with increased turn out.  There’s strength in numbers.

It is important to guard against voter fraud.   But we can’t let concerns about it depress pro-2A voter turnout. As explained by Charles ‘Kip’ Kiplinger, the vice president of the North Central Alabama Republican Assembly:

Continually emphasizing a rigged system and the potential for manipulated votes risks conveying the message that individual votes don't matter. This narrative plays into the hands of the opposition, who capitalize on disillusionment to drive down voter turnout for the other side.  

We need to assure voters that even if there were irregularities, the best way to counteract them is to participate in the democratic process.

It's crucial to emphasize that, with enough votes, any algorithmic interference becomes inconsequential. There is, and always will be, strength in numbers.

In other words, the best way to fight potential voter fraud is to get so many people on “our side” to vote that it becomes impossible for “the other side” to cheat in any meaningful way!

5.          Don’t delay. Start today!

GOTV is an opportunity to mobilize gun owners in support of the Second Amendment.  We have the power to make a real impact, so don’t hesitate to start planning and implementing a strategy today!