Dance/USA, as a nonpartisan organization, remains focused and committed to ensuring that its members, the dance community, and the arts sector overall, not only survives the current pandemic, but thrives beyond the pandemic to continue to provide highly-valued performances, educational events, and cultural programs. Dance/USA champions an inclusive and equitable dance field by leading, convening, advocating, and supporting individuals and organizations. The November 2024 elections at all levels are consequential elections – like all elections – for the future viability of the dance industry and the arts sector. It is essential for all dance artists and dance professionals who are eligible to vote engage with their civic responsibility as Americans and ambassadors of the arts sector to vote to protect the arts. The intent of this election toolkit and this get-out-to-vote campaign – #Dance2Vote – is to ensure dance artists, dance professionals, supporters of the arts, and the general public have accurate information about voting during the November 5, 2024 elections and know the relevant issues impacting the dance industry and the arts sector.
It is crucial for dance artists, dance professionals, creative workers, and arts/culture supporters to establish working relationships with their elected officials at all levels of government. Elected officials need to know what is happening in their states and local communities on a regular basis so they can make informed decisions and votes on issues and legislation being considered on Capitol Hill to support businesses, non-profit organizations, creative workers, and gig workers. Advocacy messaging should focus on the creative economy at all levels of government (i.e. economic contributions to the national, state, and local economies; current number of jobs and number of jobs lost due to the pandemic, etc.) State arts councils provide valuable economic data on the creative economy that is useful in advocacy communications.
Below are some practical strategies to be effective advocates for your businesses, nonprofit organizations, dance community, and the arts community.
It is important to note the Internal Revenue Code that governs section 501(c)(3) organizations concerning elections. Under the Internal Revenue Code, such organizations are “absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. Any contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position (verbal or written) made on behalf of the organization in favor of or in opposition to any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition against political campaign activity.”
In other words, 501(c)3 organizations cannot ask people to vote for specific candidates and they cannot donate funds to political candidates or political campaigns.
Click HERE for further information concerning allowable and prohibited activities during elections under the Internal Revenue Code that governs 501(c)(3) organizations. Click HERE for further information concerning lobbying activities under the Internal Revenue Code that governs 501(c)(3) organizations.
Nonprofit VOTE: Staying Nonpartisan: Permissible Election Activities Checklist
It is important for voters to be safe. It is recommended by the CDC that if it is possible to vote early or by mail to do so. If it is necessary to vote in person or deliver ballots in person to the polling places, please wear high quality N95 masks and wash your hands or use sanitizer immediately before and after voting to protect against the virus.
Please note that states and local governments may have additional health and safety protocols for the elections. Please check your state and local election office websites for further information.
Additional federal COVID19 resources and information can be found at the U.S. Election Assistance Commission website.
Please check below to find the dates you need to incorporate in your voting plan. The US Vote Foundation page linked below lists the voter registration deadlines, absentee/vote-by-mail ballot request deadlines, and deadlines for voting in the federal election for each of the 50 states, Washington, DC and the U.S. territories. Click on the state or territory, then select the Nov. 5th election to find out how to register and/or register with your secretary of state. State election websites also provide polling place locators and voter ID requirements (i.e. current driver’s license or state-issued ID).
Please check below to verify that you are registered in your state. The US Vote Foundation page linked below allows you to check your registration in each of the 50 states, Washington, DC and the U.S. territories. Click on the state or territory, you will be redirected to your state’s voter lookup page . State election websites also provide polling place locators and voter ID requirements (i.e. current driver’s license or state-issued ID).
Every American who can vote should be registered to vote as this is a civic responsibility. If you are in the 50 states and Washington D.C., you can register to vote using the US Vote Foundation tool linked below. It is important to register as soon as possible to ensure that you have all of the information you need to vote early or on Election Day.
Please note the deadlines to submit Absentee Voting (AV) or Vote-By-Mail (VBM) applications in order to receive a mail-in ballot by mail.
Please note that the deadline to apply via mail for AV or VBM ballots may be different than the deadline to apply via in-person and/or online for your state.
Click on the button below for your state-specific instructions and guidance.
Once you are registered to vote and you know all of the information that you need to be prepared, this Vote.org tool will send you text messages reminding you of important election dates in your district. This can be a great way of ensuring that you never miss another election.
Besides voting and voting early, dance artists, dance professionals, and all who are supportive of the arts should engage candidates from all the political parties about various issues impacting the arts. There will be numerous opportunities this fall to engage in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, candidate forums, debates, social media chats, and town halls. Nonprofit VOTE has great information about effectively engaging political candidates. Below are a listing of major issues impacting the dance community and the arts sector.
COVID19 Relief
Candidates from all political parties need to know how the pandemic has impacted your organization, individual artists, and the arts sector. It is important that they know how you, your organization, and the arts sector can be supported during the pandemic and beyond to thrive as the arts sector is a unique and major contributor to the state and local economy. Most state arts councils have economic data that you can share with political candidates about the arts sector’s economic contributions beyond the cultural and creative contributions.
Below are additional resources to inform voters during the November 2024 elections at all levels. Please note that Dance/USA is a nonpartisan organization and does not endorse or oppose any political candidates or political parties. Please let Dance/USA know if there any additional resources that should be listed to ensure all who are supportive of the arts have the most accurate information heading into the November 2024 elections. Please contact Bertrand Evans-Taylor, Director of Government Affairs, at advocacy@nulldanceusa.org with any further resources or information.
Voter Resource Information
Arts-Related Voter Engagement Resources
Other Get-Out-The-Vote Efforts
Dance/USA encourages dance artists, dance professionals, and all who are supportive of the arts to vote, vote early, and spread the word to their families, colleagues, friends, and local communities. Social media and email are powerful, effective, and efficient ways to accomplish this objective. Below are sample social media posts, emails, and stickers that can be used.
Sample Social Media Posts
Below are suggested posts for X (formerlyTwitter), Facebook, and/or Instagram heading into the November 2024 elections and during Election Day. Once you have voted in person, submitted your vote in person, or submitted your vote by mail, please take a picture with your voting sticker or once you receive your sticker to highlight the importance of voting. Please also feel free to write your own posts. Be sure to use the hashtag #Dance2Vote so Dance/USA can track the impact of your voices.
Sample General Email
Just a reminder that the November 8 elections at all levels are consequential elections for families, individuals, and the arts community. Please register to vote, vote early, and spread the word to your family members, friends, neighbors, and colleagues. Further information about voter registration, voting by mail or in-person, and being safe during the election season can be found at #Dance2Vote, which provides a variety of resources to ensure voters are informed heading into the polls.
Thank you in advance for your participation!
Sample Arts-Specific Email
Just a reminder that the November 8 elections at all levels are consequential elections for the arts. We need to ensure that the arts, arts professionals, and creative workers are supported during the pandemic and beyond as important contributors to the economy at all levels. Please register to vote, vote early, and spread the word to your family members, friends, neighbors, and colleagues. Further information about voter registration, voting by mail or in-person, and issues impacting the arts can be found at #Dance2Vote.
Thank you in advance for your participation!
Need a Voting Sticker?
For use with Avery Sticker Printer Paper
“I Voted”
Any questions or inquiries about the election toolkit, voting in the November 2024 elections, or issues impacting the arts sector, should be directed to Bertrand Evans-Taylor, Director of Government Affairs at advocacy@nulldanceusa.org. Please note that this webpage and the election toolkit will be updated on a regular basis with any new information as it becomes available. Updated September 9, 2024.
Once the dust settles on the election and officials are preparing to take office, this is the perfect time to congratulate them on their win and begin fostering an ongoing relationship. These are relationships that only you can foster. They will help decision-makers in your community understand your needs as a constituent and the value you bring to your community. These relationships also serve as useful social capital during any advocacy campaign.
Connect on social media – Connect with your re-elected and newly-elected officials at all levels of government on social media. Most, if not all, have either a Facebook and/or X (formerly Twitter) account.
Congratulate and thank them – Please immediately send your re-elected and newly-elected officials a note of congratulations, thank them for their leadership, and indicate that you will follow up to discuss specific policy priorities.
Send an email – As soon as your re-elected and newly-elected officials receive their official email addresses, please communicate with them about your top specific issues of interest (2-3 issues) and indicate that you are available to meet with them to discuss further.
Schedule a meeting – Schedule a meeting (virtual or in-person) with your elected officials to discuss your specific issues of interest, discuss how your business, nonprofit organization, and/or the arts community are dealing with the current pandemic, etc.
Regularly Communicate – Continue to communicate with your elected officials on a regular basis about your specific issues of interest and how the current pandemic is impacting your business, nonprofit organization, and/or the arts community.
Dance/USA has a robust government affairs and advocacy operation to help its members with their advocacy efforts, including scheduling meetings, prepping members for their meetings, providing policy information and talking points. Various advocacy resources can be found on the Dance/USA website. Advocacy assistance and general inquires can be directed to Bertrand Evans-Taylor, Director of Government Affairs.
