NYC Votes is celebrating National Voter Registration Day (NVRD) with voter registration events across New York City today, partnering with several community groups and other organizations to host three large voter registration events and more than 50 public registration drives.
The large voter events include “Just Say Yes to Voting” with the League of Women Voters at City Hall Park, "Vote Like Your Life Depends on It" with the New York Organ Donor Network at Washington Square Park, and the Brooklyn Voter Jam with the Catholic Charities of Brooklyn & Queens at Brooklyn Borough Hall.
NYC Votes, working with more than 70 groups, will host more than 50 public registration drives throughout the day. The hosts of those drives include: Care for the Homeless, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Harlem United, the Alliance of South Asian American Labor, the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation, and the City University of New York. In addition, partners such as CitiBank and JP Morgan Chase will be holding voter drives in private buildings. With all of these events, more than 100 across the city altogether, eligible New Yorkers will have no excuse not to register on NVRD.
“National Voter Registration Day is an opportunity for New Yorkers to come together to commit to voting in this important federal election season,” said Onida Coward Mayers, director of voter assistance at the NYC Campaign Finance Board. “We are thrilled to work with the League of Women Voters, the New York Organ Donor Network and Catholic Charities on these wonderful, nonpartisan events to increase voter awareness.”
“Today - National Voter Registration Day - volunteer League teams have stepped up to the challenge and will register voters at more than 400 events around the country,” said Elisabeth MacNamara, president of the League of Women Voters of the U.S. “I am thrilled to be a part of this day in New York City because voter empowerment is what we have been doing for nearly 100 years and NVRD is the front door to participation for thousands of eligible voters.”
“New Yorkers have a unique and powerful opportunity to sign up as organ donors when they register to vote,” said Helen Irving, president and CEO, New York Organ Donor Network. “We are honored to once again work with NYC Votes to positively impact New York by facilitating voter registration, and organ donor enrollment.”
“Catholic Charities Brooklyn & Queens is excited to participate in National Voter Registration Day in partnership with NYC Votes, Alpha Kappa Alpha, and Delta Rho Omega. As a multi-service agency in New York City, Catholic Charities recognizes the importance of both providing direct services and addressing systemic injustices. Helping our community register to vote is part of CCBQ’s commitment to advocating for a social order which promotes justice and embraces human development,” said Patrick Callaghan, community project director, Catholic Charities of Brooklyn & Queens.
Jacquelyn Kilmer, chief operating officer, Harlem United, said, “our work at Harlem United is about strengthening communities and individuals, and with the statewide elections upon us, Harlem United is reminding the folks we serve that voting in their state and local elections is important!. Voting is one of the best ways to protect the rights we have won and impact new and necessary change. The strength to create healthier communities and end homelessness lies in the power of our votes in Harlem and across New York City!”
National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan, volunteer effort to create widespread awareness of voter registration opportunities through on-the-ground activities, technology and the media.
NYC Votes is the nonpartisan voter engagement campaign of the New York City Campaign Finance Board (CFB) and its Voter Assistance Advisory Committee (VAAC). NYC Votes promotes voter registration, participation, and engagement in New York City through its many programs and partnerships. NYC Votes also produces the citywide Voter Guide.