Nonpartisan National Holiday Aims to Register 300,000 Voters

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Tuesday, September 25, marks the 7th annual National Voter Registration Day. Indications are this will be the largest National Voter Registration Day ever with 4,000 partner groups across the nation organizing a massive nationwide effort to register voters ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.

These 4,000 partner organizations, more than have ever engaged in the holiday before, and over 10,000 volunteers will join forces to help over 300,000 eligible voters update their voter registration or get registered for the first time. As a single day of coordinated activity across the nation, National Voter Registration Day helps Americans of all backgrounds and political affiliations come together to ensure that everyone gets the chance to exercise their right to vote.

Numerous public figures and celebrities are expected to engage their fan base in support of registering to vote on National Voter Registration Day, including Stephen Colbert, Meghan Trainor, Rachel Brosnahan, Conan O'Brien, Jonathan Van Ness, G-Eazy, Bill Nye the Science Guy, and others. Meanwhile, thousands of grassroots organizations across the country will be engaging voters face-to-face at student unions, community health centers, libraries, and more. This multi-level engagement is what gives the holiday such broad reach.

"Our country is stronger when more people are engaged and exercise their right to vote," said Vermont Sec. Jim Condos, President of the National Association of Secretaries of State. "This collaborative effort of election officials alongside more than 4,000 groups creates a non-partisan, celebratory atmosphere around the important process of registering to vote. This coordinated day of action helps eligible voters, including many people casting a ballot for the first time, navigate the registration process to ensure they're prepared when they head to the polls in November."

Every year, millions of eligible voters are unable to cast a ballot because of a missed registration deadline, outdated registration information, or other problem with their voter registration. According to Pew, as many as one in four eligible voters in the country are not registered to vote or have an outdated voter registration. This is what National Voter Registration Day organizers seek to change.

The November midterms are on the minds of the American people in a way that seems wholly different than previous years. Americans are coming to understand that midterm elections, while not as flashy as the general election, have major consequences that can affect their daily lives. National Voter Registration Day posters and other communications carry the slogan "Midterms on My Terms" to drive home this message.

"The voting booth is the one place where every American holds equal power. It is crucial that every eligible citizen is registered to vote, and National Voter Registration Day helps to ensure that their voice can be heard," said Christine Chen, Executive Director, Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote. "If you've recently turned 18, moved to a new address, changed your name, or recently naturalized, you can update your voter registration at nationalvoterregistrationday.org/register."

Since 2012, more than 1.6 million voters have registered or updated their registration as a result of National Voter Registration Day. The holiday grows each year with new partnerships and energy. Some of the major partners in 2018 include Google, Twitter, United Way, League of Women Voters, Mi Familia Vota, National Urban League, Facebook, EveryLibrary, CMT, BET Networks and others (see full list of partners here). The 4,000-strong network of community partners who will be running voter registration events across the country include nonprofits, universities, libraries, businesses, co-ops, veteran groups, and more.

"We have seen year after year millions of people who are left out of the electoral process because they were not registered to vote. Registration laws differ in every state, and National Voter Registration Day is a massive effort to educate eligible voters and get people registered ahead of the general election. We know that elections have consequences, and the more people who show up to the polls in November the better off our country will be," said Colonel Mike Turner, USAF (Ret.), Vice President at Military Officers Association of America.

The full quote sheet from partner organizations is available here.

More information about about how you can participate on September 25th can be found at NationalVoterRegistrationDay.org

National Voter Registration Day is a single day of coordinated events by 4,000 national and community partners across the nation to raise awareness of registration opportunities. Held on the fourth Tuesday of every September, it is endorsed by the National Association of Secretaries of State, National Association of State Election Directors, and National Association of Election Officials.

SOURCE National Voter Registration Day

Related Links

http://NationalVoterRegistrationDay.org