Volunteer Opportunities – Voting Access For All

Interested in volunteering? Join us now!

Urgent Needs

Community Voting Outreach

As this year’s elections approach, we need help registering voters more than ever. Voter registration with VAAC requires training to ensure quality control. Sign up or contact us to get trained and help us with this effort.

Poll Challenger

VAAC has an immediate need for volunteers to serve as Poll Challengers during upcoming elections. This is a vital role that helps ensure elections are conducted fairly and according to Michigan election law. Poll Challengers observe election processes at polling places and report legal or procedural issues. Sign up or contact us to get trained and ready to help.

More Opportunities

We have many opportunities for you to get involved in supporting voter access, large and small, based on your availability, skills and interests. Some can be done from home, others out in the community. We are a state-wide organization, with volunteers in many communities, and looking to grow further. Click the plus sign’s below to learn about Volunteer Opportunities in each program.

Volunteer Opportunity	Commitment Size
Community Material Distribution: Hang VAAC posters in public settings – especially in urban areas – such as bus stops, barber shops, laundromats, corner stores, libraries, churches, mosques, etc. Location: Your Community or we will help identify a community we have not reached yet	Starting at just a few hours. You can also keep a supply of posters in your car and distribute them when you are out in the community.
Community Event Volunteer: Greet community members; share accurate, nonpartisan information about voting in Michigan; help people check their voter registration; answer questions about voting; encourage people to make a plan to vote and stay engaged; setting up and staffing our information table; etc. Location: Various locations throughout our communities	A single event commitment is usually 2-4 hours. You may commit to as many or as few events as fits your capacity.
Community Liaison: Take responsibility for a relationship with a community organization such as a homeless shelter or food bank, to deliver posters, flyers and maybe even set up a Get Out the Vote event. Location: Phone or email to coordinate. Ideally, visit the location in person with posters and fliers to make personal contact, but snail mail is a definite backup alternative.	Engaging a single organization should about 2-4 hours total. You are welcome to take on multiple locations.

Volunteer Opportunity	Commitment Size
Jail Volunteer: Connect with individuals in jails to support education, voter registration, absentee ballot requests. Location: A single Jail you agree to Volunteer at.	Multiple small commitments. Involves training, and multiple visits to same jail.
Jail Liaison: Build relationships with jail administration and local clerks office in an individual county. Use data collected at check-in and make follow-up phone calls with staff, incarcerated individuals, and individuals upon release. Location: Remote (phone and mail) and may also involve visiting the location if you so choose, but not required.	On-going engagement of less than 10 hours per week.
Jail Voting Workgroup: Attend meetings of our Jail Voting Workgroup to network with other people doing this work and find ways to get involved. The weekly meeting is a chance to understand the work that is being done and to build momentum to expand our work into new facilities.	1 hour per week.

Volunteer Opportunity	Commitment Size
Phone Banker: You received access to a tool on your computer that dials the numbers and connects you with people. It also has a script you follow, guiding you through the process. We also do a one hour training before you start, so that you know the basics of voting in Michigan, and can answer questions that go off script. Location: from home	One hour training. Can make calls any time between 9 am and 9 pm, but prefer you join a phone bank event, because more people calling at the same time reaches the most people.

Volunteer Opportunity	Commitment Size
Poll Watcher: Monitor a polling location from a designated public viewing area. You will not interact with poll workers or voters, but rather observe and report. Training is required to understand and strictly follow Federal and state law. Location: A polling location. Location selection is coordinated to get as much coverage in the state as possible. We will help identify a polling location near you.	One hour training. 5 hour shift during early voting or on Election Day.
Poll Challenger: Observe election processes at polling places and report legal or procedural issues. Unlike Poll Watchers, Poll Challengers may make challenges alleging violations of voter rights or polling regulations, through specific approved processes. Poll Challengers must be a registered voter in Michigan, may not be a candidate for any office in the election, and must carry credentials issued by us. Location: A polling location. We will help identify a polling location near you.	~2 hour training. 5 hour or longer shift during early voting or on Election Day.

Volunteer Opportunity

Commitment Size

Poll Watcher: Monitor a polling location from a designated public viewing area. You will not interact with poll workers or voters, but rather observe and report. Training is required to understand and strictly follow Federal and state law.
Location: A polling location. Location selection is coordinated to get as much coverage in the state as possible. We will help identify a polling location near you.

One hour training.
5 hour shift during early voting or on Election Day.

Poll Challenger: Observe election processes at polling places and report legal or procedural issues. Unlike Poll Watchers, Poll Challengers may make challenges alleging violations of voter rights or polling regulations, through specific approved processes. Poll Challengers must be a registered voter in Michigan, may not be a candidate for any office in the election, and must carry credentials issued by us.
Location: A polling location. We will help identify a polling location near you.

~2 hour training. 5 hour or longer shift during early voting or on Election Day.

The communications team is responsible for VAAC’s written content, social media, website, newsletter / email. We are currently active on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and are always looking for additional help. We work in close coordination with the other teams in order to ensure that the wider group is always in the know and aware of what VAAC is working on.

We need to grow our team in the following areas:

Volunteer Opportunity	Commitment Size
Direct Communication: Monitor and respond to inquiries about our organization via email or direct message; and/or refer inquiries to other organization staff.	2-10 hours per week
Content Creation: Graphic designers / Visual Artists / Narrative Creators	Flexible
Press Media Liaison	Flexible

Volunteer Opportunity	Commitment Size
Grant Writer: Core Messages Already Written. Need Help Completing Specific Grant Requirements.	10-20 hours per Grant.
Research/Strategy: Join A Team That Sets Data Strategy, Implements And Maintains VAAC Voter Information.	Up to 8 hours per week. Could share responsibility.
Note Taker: Take Notes At Our Weekly Meeting And Publish On A Weekly Basis.	3 hours per week. Could share responsibility.
Legal: Provide legal guidance.	TBD
Development: Lead a development and growth initiative for our coalition.	TBD