FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ashlynn@civicnation.org
Washington, DC: Today, When We All Vote Founder and Co-Chair Michelle Obama voted early in the midterm elections (photos available here). Millions of voters can now cast their ballots across the country early and make a plan to vote through the Voter Resources Hub.
To further promote early voting, When We All Vote also launched Party at the Polls, the organization’s celebratory voter engagement strategy proven to increase voter participation. In 2020, more than 60 partner organizations hosted over 200 socially distanced parties through When We All Vote’s Party at the Polls program. Over the next 22 days, When We All Vote will join partners and volunteers in hosting celebrations at or near polling locations across the country to increase voter turnout and bring communities together to celebrate voting with music, food and fun activities.
More than 100 parties at the polls will take place across the country this election season. On Saturday, October 15th, When We All Vote, Protect the Sacred and Harness hosted the Ride to the Polls in Kayenta, AZ — a Solidarity Trail Ride in Monument Valley, Arizona — to increase participation of Native communities in the midterms.
Studies show that early voting activations and celebrations can help increase turnout by nearly 4 percent. Parties at the polls will be posted at whenweallvote.org/partyatthepolls. Events include:
- HBCU Voting Squad Events: As a part of When We All Vote’s VOTE LOUD HBCU Squad Challenge, launched by Michelle Obama and Chris Paul earlier this year, HBCU students at 20 schools will host parties at the polls.
- Quince to the Polls in San Antonio, TX: When We All Vote will join Harness, Jolt Initiative, America Ferrera, Rosie Castro, Terri Castillo and more for a parade and festival with live music, food, art, carnival games, vendors and more. Young people in the community will join the event in their quinceañera dresses by limo followed by their families and friends at Collins Garden Park on October 29th.
- Philly Votes in Philadelphia, PA: When We All Vote will join PA Youth Vote, Just Act, the Philadelphia City Commissioners, Committee of Seventy and more for a march from Love Park to City Hall to celebrate voting early with music, performances and food, on October 28th.
- Votelanta Music Festival with The People’s Uprising in Atlanta, GA: Headlined by Gucci Mane, Votelanta is an innovative voter mobilization event to encourage young adults ages 18-25 to vote early and attend with their “I Voted” sticker. The concert, hosted by Hot 107.9’s Manni Supreme and Spelman alumna Princess Tatyanna, will include celebrity and influencer appearances and free food and snacks on October 28th.
- MTV’s Vote Early Gameday in Detroit, MI: This family fun interactive event with the Detroit Pistons will get the community excited and ready to vote. The event will take place outside of the Little Caesars Arena on October 28th.
ABOUT When We All Vote:
When We All Vote is a leading national, nonpartisan initiative on a mission to change the culture around voting and to increase participation in each and every election by helping to close the race and age gap. Created by Michelle Obama, When We All Vote brings together individuals, institutions, brands, and organizations to register new voters across the country and advance civic education for the entire family and voters of every age to build an informed and engaged electorate for today and generations to come. We empower our supporters and volunteers to take action through voting, advocating for their rights, and holding their elected officials accountable.
In 2020, When We All Vote ran a robust, multifaceted campaign and reached more than 100 million people to educate them about the voting process and get them registered and ready to vote. The initiative also led in voter education, registration, and volunteer engagement and as a result, 512,000 people started or completed the voter registration process, and nearly 500 media, corporate, and nonprofit partners joined its efforts.
Michelle Obama launched When We All Vote in 2018 and is joined by fellow Co-Chairs Stephen Curry, Becky G, Selena Gomez, Tom Hanks, H.E.R., Liza Koshy, Jennifer Lopez, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Janelle Monae, Chris Paul, Megan Rapinoe, Shonda Rhimes, Bretman Rock, Kerry Washington, and Rita Wilson.
When We All Vote is an initiative of Civic Nation, a 501(c)(3) organization, and works with Civic Nation Action, a 501(c)(4). Learn more here.
ABOUT Civic Nation:
Civic Nation is a nonprofit ecosystem for high-impact organizing and education initiatives working to build a more inclusive and equitable America. Civic Nation shifts culture, systems, and policy by bringing together individuals, grassroots organizers, industry leaders and influencers to tackle some of our nation’s most pressing social challenges. Civic Nation is home to seven national initiatives and campaigns: ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, Change Collective, It’s On Us, Online for All, SAVE On Student Debt, We The Action, and When We All Vote. Learn more here.