Are you #VoteReady?

By Laura Walling, Senior Director of Government Relations, Goodwill Industries International

Goodwill Industries International (GII) is excited once again be part of a national effort to strengthen our democracy by promoting National Voter Registration Day on September 22. First celebrated in 2012, National Voter Registration Day has become a national holiday during which thousands of organizations and volunteers organize to ensure our family, friends and neighbors are registered to vote and ready to cast their ballots.

As a nonpartisan holiday celebrated by a diverse coalition of organizations and individuals across sectors and across the country, National Voter Registration Day is the perfect opportunity to get involved — no matter what party you support or which issues matter most to you.

And you can be part of this amazing day!

• Register to Vote Online: It’s simple, it’s free and it’s secure. If online voter registration is not available in your state or if it doesn’t work for you, you can easily start the process online, no matter where you live.
• Attend a National Voter Registration Day Event: Find one near you, or search for an online event.
• Spread the Word: Once you’ve made sure you’re registered, share this information with friends, family and colleagues. Ask them to join you and use #NationalVoterRegistrationDay and #VoteReady in all of your social media posts. We’ll be tweeting throughout the day from @GoodwillCapHill!
• Get #VoteReady: Already registered? Even better! If you want to vote by mail this year, request your ballot today. Or take ten minutes today to learn more about what’s on the ballot, where your polling station is and other ways to get involved ahead of Election Day.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, voter registration is also more important than ever. Many of the most common ways that Americans register to vote — including at their local Department of Motor Vehicles and through in-person drives on campuses, at concerts and in communities — came to a sudden halt in mid-March as social distancing policies went into effect. As a result, the number of new voter registrations in March and April plummeted across the country. Dropping voter registration numbers could be a big obstacle to what was shaping up to be record-setting turnout in November.

All eligible American voters should exercise their right to be heard at the ballot box. Participating in National Voter Registration Day is a great place to start.