Today Is National Voter Registration Day!

In 2008 65% of African-Americans that were eligible to vote in that 2008 election cycle exercised that right to do so. But sadly there were 6 million eligible American voters who didn't participate in that election because they either missed a registration deadline or they didn't know how or where to register so they could participate in that election. . 

It's four years later and there are approximately 46 million Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 are eligible to vote. But threats of apathy, and voter ID suppression laws are threatening to cut into those numbers at the polls in 2012.


To combat the problem, a large coalition of 1100 organizations that includes Voto Latino, the Congressional Black Caucus, the National Urban League, LULAC and the League of Women Voters  have joined forces on this day to conduct a nationwide voter registration effort in advance of this critical 2012 presidential election cycle. 

The NAACP has had a similar effort underway for months now, but this coalition effort kicking off today will have volunteers, celebrities and various organizations hitting the streets to reach out to potential voters.

The National Urban League has sent out this PSA emphasizing the need for young people to as I paraphrase NBJC President/CEO Sharon Lettman-Hicks favorite catchphrases, recognizing and owning our power.at the ballot box.



This National Voter Registration Day of coordinated field, technology and media efforts is designed to create awareness of voter registration opportunities, reach tens of thousands of voters that may not have been reached via other methods and get them registered in time for this critical election.  

We even had registration efforts happening during the just completed 2012 edition of OUT on the Hill  

So if you see some of those events while you're out and about today, now you'll know why.  If you're not registered, please take the time to do so.

TransGriot Update:  Here's the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Voter's Rights Toolkit you can download and share the info with everyone you know in your influence circles.