Young people are turning out to vote more than ever before. And to keep that momentum going, Foot Locker in partnership with the nonprofit Rock the Vote will turn its stores across the U.S. into temporary voter registration hubs starting September 22.
Coinciding with National Voter Registration Day, this initiative is aimed at making sure eligible youth — over 4 million of them — turn out to vote in the crucial November 3 federal elections, according to its CEO, Richard Johnson.
In a year marked with such uncertainty, amid a pandemic and social unrest, our country’s future — and our collective role in shaping it — has never been more important. At Foot Locker, our mission is to inspire and empower youth culture, so partnering with Rock The Vote was a natural fit to help educate and amplify the voices of today’s youth.
Richard Johnson, Foot locker CEO
Beginning this week, visitors to any of their 2,000 U.S. retail stores will have access to a digital hub where they can check their voter registration status, register to vote, and sign-up for election reminders. Store employees will also be able to guide customers in-store through the process.
Now you can get some new kicks AND register to vote!
https://t.co/mBdBBKq8Dp
— Global Citizen (@GlblCtzn) September 22, 2020
What’s National Voter Registration Day?
Every year millions of Americans find themselves unable to vote because they missed their registration deadline, haven’t updated their registration, or simply aren’t sure how to register.
Enter National Voter Registration Day! Created in 2012 and celebrated on the fourth Tuesday of September, it is “a nonpartisan civic holiday celebrating our democracy.”
It’s aimed to “create broad awareness of voter registration opportunities to reach tens of thousands of voters who may not register otherwise.”
Nothing makes me more happy than scaring the fuck out of corrupt politicians when they see hundreds of thousands of young people registering to vote.
That’s why National voter registration day is my favorite holiday
— David Hogg (@davidhogg111) September 21, 2020
What happens on this day?
Volunteers and organizations from all over the country hit the streets in a single day of coordinated field, technology, and media efforts.
This happens across communities, workplaces, libraries, and college campuses too. (You can find an event near you by clicking here.) Social media platforms will also direct you to find registration drives nearby.
What does this do? It allows for hundreds of thousands of American voters to register to vote online and offline in a single day. According to their website, nearly 3 million voters across all 50 states have registered to vote on National Voter Registration Day.
Who is involved?
The holiday is endorsed by the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED), the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), and the National Association of Election Officials (Election Center).
This year’s list boasts of partners like the American Library Association, Comedy Central, Earth Day Network, Google, PayPal, Target, Twitter, Walmart, and more. You can see a full list here.
There are several people like Michelle Obama also getting the word out about this holiday.
What has it accomplished?
According to their website, nearly 3 million voters across all 50 states have registered to vote on National Voter Registration Day. 2018-2019 alone saw 1.3 million people.
Aside from bringing about a sense of civic unity with a holiday, they are out to educate Americans — how to register, sign up for election reminders, request mail-in ballots, learn about early voting options, and more.
If you’re already familiar with those topics, it still allows you to “set aside differences, enjoy the rights and opportunities we all share as Americans, and celebrate our democracy.”
All your voter registration FAQs in one place
If you’re wondering how you should register to vote, figure out by clicking here.
What do you need to register yourself to vote on D-Day? Aside from a government-issued ID, every state has its own rules. You can read all about what your state prescribes, and when your deadline is, here.
Need more information on voter registration deadlines by state, voting times and locations, or whether or not you’re eligible to register? You can sign up here.
Happy National Voter Registration Day!
This article was reposted with permission from Front Page Live.
Photo credit for image at top: Foot Locker Inc.
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