(Washington, DC): Today, When We All Vote released a video message from Co-Chair Michelle Obama encouraging Georgia voters to make their voices heard in the Senate Runoff Election early and to reach out to their friends and family members to do the same. Michelle Obama launched When We All Vote, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization on a mission to increase participation in every election and close the race and age voting gap by changing the culture around voting, in 2018.
Background on Voter Engagement in the Senate Runoff Election
When We All Vote’s volunteers, partners and allies in Georgia are committed to ensuring every voice is heard in the runoff, especially the voices of young people and people of color. Together, and in support of local partners, When We All Vote will host more than 50 early vote activations between now and Election Day following CDC Covid-19 guidelines, including:
- The Transformative Justice Coalition hosted John Lewis Good Trouble Marches to the polls in McDonough, Austell, Columbus, Decatur, Lilburn/Mountain Park and Gainesville.
- Georgia Alliance for Progress is hosting Early Voting Tailgates throughout the state, including Macon, Columbus, Savannah, Clayton County and Augusta.
- The New Georgia Project is hosting 20 events with When We All Vote in Atlanta, Columbus, Macon, Savannah, Albany and Augusta.
- Atlanta Public Schools is sponsoring early vote events in partnership with Oak Atlanta and The Gathering Spot.
This year When We All Vote helped more than 18,000 Georgians get registered and ready to vote, and in the lead up to runoff, more than 3,000 Georgia voters registered with When We All Vote. During the General Election, When We All Vote hosted food and voter registration drives in Atlanta and Augusta as well as early voting celebrations in the Metro Atlanta area. When We All Vote local partners will host early voting celebrations across the state for the runoff election.
When We All Vote’s My School Votes volunteers were active in the General Election with more than 100 student ambassadors and 800 students involved in My School Votes teams, including 100 percent of Clayton County Public Schools and 86 percent of Atlanta Public Schools. Student ambassadors continue to reach out to their peers and communities about making their voices heard in the election.
In the General Election, young people turned out in Georgia at some of the highest rates in the country. Georgia voters can make their plan to vote, ensure their friends and family members are ready to make their voices heard and find an early voting celebration near them through When We All Vote’s Georgia Voter Hub.
FULL VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:
Hey Georgia!
It’s not too late to join the thousands of people who are voting early in the runoff election for U.S. Senate.
This election is just as critical for your communities – maybe more so – as the elections in November.
Because you have power to determine the direction not just for this state, but for the entire nation.
And I know that we can count on you because you all are leaders when it comes to voter participation.
First in 2018, when you showed up in record numbers, and then once again during this year’s primaries.
So let’s do it one more time. And that starts by getting ready to vote right now.
Just head over to WhenWeAllVote.org to make a plan to vote early.
And please talk to your friends and families about making a plan to vote, too.
Thank you so much everybody, and have a safe and happy holiday season!
ABOUT When We All Vote:
When We All Vote is a national, nonpartisan nonprofit that brings together citizens, institutions, brands, and organizations to increase participation in every election. Launched by Michelle Obama, the organization is committed to closing the race and age voting gap and empowering all eligible voters to cast their ballot by harnessing grassroots energy, establishing strategic partnerships, and implementing digital organizing strategies, with the ultimate goal of changing the culture around voting.
Michelle Obama is joined in this effort by fellow Co-Chairs Tom Hanks, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Janelle Monáe, Chris Paul, Faith Hill, Selena Gomez, Liza Koshy, Megan Rapinoe, Shonda Rhimes, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kerry Washington, and Rita Wilson.
In the leadup to the 2018 Midterm Elections, When We All Vote organized over 2,500 local voter registration events across the country, engaged 200 million Americans online about the significance of voting, and texted nearly four million voters the resources to register and get out to vote.
In 2020, When We All Vote is helping to lead in voter education, registration and volunteer engagement. In response to COVID-19, When We All Vote is leading the fight for fair and safe elections by supporting the expansion of access to vote-by-mail, early in-person voting and online voter registration so every American can make their voices heard.
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