HeadCount is kicking off National Voter Registration Day (NVRD) this September 19th, hosting events nationwide to encourage Americans to register to vote.
HeadCount is a nonpartisan organization that merges civic engagement with culture. Dedicated to increasing voting participation in the United States, the group helps citizens register to vote as well as assists people in updating registration information such as an address or name change. The group is best known for hosting registration drives at concerts and music festivals, partnering with incredible musicians such as Harry Styles and Paramore. Additionally, HeadCount works with sporting teams, local grassroots organizations, and its corporate partners to encourage people to register to vote and to educate the importance of political participation.
In celebration of National Voter Registration Day, the organization is hosting over 40 voter registration drives across the country, providing ample opportunities for people to volunteer or become registered voters. HeadCount’s largest activation event will be hosted in Washington Square Park in New York City from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in collaboration with NYC’s Civic Engagement Office and NYU Vote on September 19th. Additionally, theevent will be supported by exciting corporate partnerships from Tony’s Chocolonely, Partake Cookies, Guayaki Yerba Mate, and The Body Shop. The event additionally will be bolstered by incredible public art.
Additional voter registration drives will be hosted outside of New York, in major cities such as:
Voting is one of the most valuable rights granted to citizens. It allows Americans to make an impact on local and federal governments by giving them sway on who takes political office and who will most benefit their community. Tappan Vickery, the Senior Director of Programming and strategy at HeadCount, told GLAAD:
“Many people see 2023 as an “off-year” – but in fact it’s always an election year! There are thousands of local and state elections happening across the country. This is also the last National Voter Registration Day before the 2024 primary season and many, many people have moved and need to update their address or need to update their political party affiliation to vote in closed primary elections.”
Moreover, 27% of voters on average participate in presidential primary elections. Vickery reported that within this group, “many only vote in presidential races and do not vote for state and local offices. As a result, a select few are determining the candidates that the rest of the population votes for.” Thus, HeadCount seeks to further educate voters on the importance of casting their ballots beyond the standard presidential elections and to further influence the happenings of their communities.
2023 has seen a record number of anti-LGBTQ policies being introduced in state legislatures. According to the Human Rights Campaign, over 520 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been proposed, over 220 of them directed explicitly towards transgender and nonbinary people as of this May. Many of these laws come from states like Texas and Florida and target LGBTQ youth who may not be old enough to vote. Thus, it is vital that people from states with high numbers of anti-LGBTQ legislation register to vote and participate in their local elections. Furthermore, 2024 will be a significant electoral year as all 435 House Representatives and a few Senate seats will be up for grabs, coinciding with the presidential election.
HeadCounts works with local volunteers to drive the community toward voter registration. If you are interested in volunteering, click here to sign up. If you are interested in hosting HeadCount volunteers or a more coordinated effort on National Voter Registration Day, you can also reach out directly to tappanv@headcount.org.