Action for Democracy Toolkit

“... And, when the voices of ordinary people are heard and respected in our democracy.” 

KFTC believes in the power of people working together to take action on issues that affect all Kentuckians. We also believe in a democracy where everyone is included, voting is accessible, elections are fair, and elected leaders are responsive to folks in their communities. 

That’s why we have launched Action for Democracy, KFTC's year-round approach to building grassroots power to win on election day, increase civic engagement, build a healthy democracy, and pass progressive local, state and federal legislation that improves the quality of life for all Kentuckians.

KFTC is committed to working year-round to register, educate, and mobilize voters. And that means members from across the state will be organizing voter registration drives, canvasses, and voter outreach opportunities so we can begin to move closer to our vision for a healthy and vibrant democracy. 

This is a landing site for members, allies, and friends to have the tools they need to take Action for Democracy. 

How To Register Voters

Voting is a vital step in building a healthy democracy. And here’s some key steps you need to know to organize a voter registration drive in your area. 

Step 1: Call up your friends! Don’t go it alone! You’ll get more folks registered when you and a friend or three work together.

Step 2: Plan it.
Check in with your organizer to:


• talk through local options and opportunities to register voters where we work and build power. You can set up a table (ironing boards work great!) in a safe spot with a lot of foot traffic. Or you can go knock on neighborhood doors. You might have an idea where you’d like to work; if you don’t, you and your organizer can work together on it.

• schedule a time to pick up supplies, if you need to.

• make a plan for turning in the voter registration cards as soon as possible.

Step 3: Do it! And bring some friends!

You’ll need:

• Voter registration cards

• Pens

• A surface for people to write on, like a table or clipboard

• A secure place to put people’s voter registration cards. 

• A Register to Vote sign

Other items you might find handy:

• A sample voter registration card, with the sections to be filled out highlighted.

• KFTC Interest Cards, signs or banners, issue handouts, and ways for people to get involved.

• Water and snacks

• Paperweights

• The number of your County Clerk’s office, just in case a question comes up. (“Do I have to put my social?” is one that often comes up, and the responses vary from county to county.)

• Application for restoration of civil rights

• A handy tabling checklist, and some helpful Do’s and Don’ts.

Step 4: Turn in your cards!!

• Make sure all completed voter registration cards go to the person who is designated to collect the data. Check boxes, cars, bags, purses, etc., just to make sure.

• Either…

• Make a photocopy of the card – blacking out the SSN on the copy, and give the copies to a KFTC organizer. We can’t send people voter guides or make GOTV calls to voters we register if we don’t know their contact info.

• Submit copied voter registration cards to your local county clerk. The deadline to register to vote for the 2019 General Election is Monday, October 7, 2019.

• Or … call your organizer and make a plan for handing off the cards to them.

Take Action For Democracy: 101 Registering Voters from Kentuckians For The Commonwealth on Vimeo.