Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. • Theta Zeta Lambda Chapter

Empower: Our Voice, Our Power, Our Future!

A civic engagement initiative strengthening voter registration, voter education, community outreach, and voter turnout across Washtenaw County and Western Wayne County.

70%Turnout Benchmark

4Outreach Zones

2County Service Area

Program Overview

Data-driven civic engagement for stronger communities.

The Empower Initiative is designed to strengthen voter participation by identifying communities with low turnout, educating registered voters, and mobilizing residents during each election cycle.

Voter Registration

Support eligible residents in becoming registered voters and staying connected to the process.

Voter Education

Provide clear information about elections, polling locations, early voting, and civic responsibilities.

Community Engagement

Build relationships with neighborhoods, organizations, schools, churches, and community partners.

Voter Mobilization

Encourage residents to vote through reminders, canvassing, follow-up, and election-week outreach.

Empower Information Packet

Review the full initiative packet.

The Empower Information Packet provides the complete program reference for the chapter’s civic engagement initiative, including the outreach structure, voter education strategy, mobilization goals, and service area framework.

Open Empower Information Packet Opens the packet in Google Drive.

Door-to-Door Toolkit

Volunteer-ready materials for neighborhood outreach.

The expanded canvassing packet gives volunteers a practical field guide for voter engagement, including opening scripts, suggested questions, nonpartisan conduct standards, safety guidance, quick response language, tracking fields, follow-up priorities, and a printable door-to-door tracking sheet.

Expanded Field Guide

Empower Door-to-Door Canvassing Packet

Use this PDF for volunteer training, canvassing check-in, neighborhood assignments, and post-canvass reporting. It is designed to help teams confirm registration, educate residents, identify barriers, and document follow-up needs.

Open Expanded Packet

Editable Version

Canvassing Packet Word Document

Use the editable version to add election dates, local clerk information, QR codes, team assignments, or neighborhood-specific instructions before printing.

Download Editable Packet

Field Use

Recommended Canvassing Workflow

Assign teams, review the script, canvass in pairs, record each contact immediately, collect completed sheets, and debrief at the end of the shift to identify follow-up needs.

View Outreach Strategy

Committee Mission

Registered. Informed. Motivated.

The Empower Committee works to ensure residents within the chapter service area are registered to vote, informed about elections, and motivated to participate in civic processes.

Identifycommunities with low voter turnout.

Educateresidents on election information and options.

Mobilizevoters through strategic outreach and reminders.

Strategic Benchmark

70 percent voter participation is the target.

For each precinct or neighborhood, the committee tracks registered voters, votes cast, turnout percentage, and new voter registrations. Areas below the 70 percent benchmark become Priority Engagement Zones.

Turnout Percentage Votes Cast ÷ Registered Voters

Below 70% = priority outreach, canvassing, education events, and community engagement.

Regional Service Area Structure

Four outreach zones across Washtenaw and Western Wayne Counties.

Area 1

Western Washtenaw

Chelsea, Dexter, Scio Township, Lyndon Township, Manchester area, and western Ann Arbor outskirts.

Focus: long-term homeowners, civic organizations, township engagement, and community centers.

Area 2

Central and Southern Washtenaw

Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Ypsilanti Township, Saline, Milan, and Pittsfield Township.

Focus: university students, apartment communities, young professionals, and first-time voters.

Area 3

Western Wayne North

Westland, Garden City, Inkster, and Northern Canton Township.

Focus: high-density residential areas, faith institutions, community organizations, and working-class neighborhoods.

Area 4

Western Wayne South

Romulus, Belleville, Van Buren Township, Southern Canton Township, and Sumpter Township.

Focus: new housing developments, newly registered voters, young families, and growing communities.

Leadership Structure

Clear roles create accountability.

Committee Chair

Provides leadership, strategic planning, and reporting.

Data & Research Coordinator

Tracks voter registration numbers and turnout statistics.

Community Outreach Coordinator

Organizes door-to-door canvassing and community engagement.

Youth & New Voter Coordinator

Focuses on first-time voters and young residents entering the electorate.

Communications Coordinator

Manages voter education messaging and informational materials.

Voter Education Resource

Educated Voting

Educated Voting is linked here as a helpful civic education resource for residents, volunteers, and community partners. Use this resource to support informed participation, strengthen voter awareness, and help community members prepare before election day.

External Resource

Open the Educated Voting website for additional voter education information and tools.

Visit Educated Voting

Data Tracking & Canvassing

Outreach guided by information and follow-through.

Data Tracking System

The turnout dashboard tracks registered voters, votes cast, turnout percentage, and new voter registrations. It helps identify areas below 70 percent, assign canvassing teams, and monitor outreach impact.

Door-to-Door Canvassing

Volunteers confirm registration status, provide election information, identify barriers, encourage participation, document households visited, and follow up when necessary.

Election Cycle Engagement Timeline

A structured plan for each election cycle.

90 Days

Review Data

Review turnout data, identify low-participation zones, and develop the outreach plan.

60 Days

Register & Engage

Conduct voter registration drives and increase civic engagement events.

30 Days

Canvass & Educate

Deploy door-to-door outreach and promote early voting options.

Election Week

Mobilize

Share community reminders, encourage voter participation, and complete final outreach activities.

Program Success Metrics

How impact is measured.

Success is measured through increased voter turnout, new voter registrations, households contacted, civic engagement activities conducted, and progress toward maintaining the 70 percent turnout benchmark.

Increase in voter turnout percentage
Number of new voters registered
Number of households contacted
Number of civic engagement activities conducted
Progress toward the 70% benchmark

Get Involved

Lead, participate, or donate to the Empower Initiative.

Use the Empower form to sign up for a leadership role, participate as a volunteer, join outreach efforts, or make a donation to help cover supplies, voter education materials, canvassing resources, and other initiative needs.

Contact Information

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. – Theta Zeta Lambda Chapter

Ann Arbor Alphas

Email: annarboralphas@gmail.com

Website: www.annarboralphas.org