Trick or Vote: Using Halloween for Voter Outreach

Posted by Campus Election Engagement Project on September 28, 2021

Halloween is one time when people welcome young strangers knocking on their doors. And students are definitely geared up for people in costumes. It’s also just before Election Day—a perfect time to engage potential voters, on campus or in the community. You can pass out candy and share information about this year’s election!

First organized by the Oregon Bus Project, Trick or Vote is a fun, effective tool for election engagement, on campus or off. Connecting a recognizable event to voting is a creative form of face-to-face outreach—the most effective way to boost voter turnout.

Any group can engage in Trick or Vote. You just need Halloween costumes, face paint and an adventurous spirit. On a residential campus, get permission from Residence Life and organize a canvass, as described in Campus Election Engagement Project’s dorm storm resource, or target student-heavy off-campus neighborhoods. At commuter schools, target high-traffic areas like student unions or the main quad, and do tabling, visibility parades and direct student-to-student outreach. If you’re in a state where CEEP has a State Director, enlist them for resources and advice. And if you’re a community group, adapt these suggestions for neighborhoods you’d like to target.

Learn more.

To download a PDF version of this resource, click here.