Are You Registered to Vote?
Voting impacts our health--80% of health outcomes are determined beyond clinical walls. The American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recognize voting as a social determinant of health. Through civic engagement, we can not just treat symptoms but tackle the root causes of public health outcomes together.
AAMC has developed a fact sheet in collaboration with Vot-ER, a nonpartisan organization that works to integrate voter education and registration into health care settings. Vot-ER plays an important role in addressing the social determinants of health by meeting potential voters where they are and supporting them in becoming more civically engaged.
Federal laws allow health care institutions to engage in nonpartisan voter registration efforts. Clinicians and healthcare organizations can:
- Point patients to Vot-ER posters, badges, or handouts
- Tell patients that their institution offers a service to help them register to vote, but they do not endorse any political party.
- Help a patient fill out the registration form while remaining neutral.
More information about Vot-ER here.