Voter Participation and Lobbying Guide for Head Start Staff, Parents and Friends.

This guide explains the regulations that govern Head Start staff's political participation and lobbying activities in an effort to assist staff in becoming politically proactive and strengthen the voice of Head Start. The guide begins with an introductory section which describes the regulations for political involvement with which Head Start programs must comply. This section also describes the permitted political activities Head Start program administrators and staff may engage in as private citizens on their own time. The second section describes Head Start political involvement, those activities which can be done on Head Start's time and what one can and cannot do with program resources. The third section explains the National Voter Registration Act, which makes it easier to register to vote and describes where and how to register to vote, while the fourth section describes voter registration and explains helping communities register to vote. The fifth section is entitled "Get Out the Vote" and provides the ten rules that will ensure a successful voter registration campaign. The final section, "Powerful Letters and More," contains multiple strategies that staff, independent of Head Start, can embrace to become a successful advocate. (SD)