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The Andrew Goodman Foundation Launches 2022 National Voter Education Week Campaign

NEW YORK — The Andrew Goodman Foundation (AGF) is proud to launch its 2022 celebration of National Voter Education Week (“NVEW”), an open-source campaign to help voters bridge the gap between registering to vote and actually casting a ballot, and combat mis- and disinformation by ensuring communities have access to accurate election information from sources they can trust. During this week of interactive education, which takes place October 3-7, voters will have the opportunity to find their polling location, understand their ballot, make a plan to vote in person or remotely, and inspire others to get involved.

The Andrew Goodman Foundation is a member of the NVEW Steering Committee, a cohort of 26 organizations from across the corporate, public, and nonprofit sectors, all of which are committed to helping voters participate in our democracy with confidence. More than 500 total partners — including businesses, national, state, and local nonprofits, college campuses, and local and state-level election officials — have signed up to participate in NVEW 2022, pledging to support and engage in efforts to provide resources, tools, and information to help voters make their voices heard in the 2022 Midterms. 

“Every year, we see gaps between voter registration rates and voter turnout rates. Emphasizing voter education is essential to closing that gap because we know that registering to vote is just the beginning of a difficult, continually-changing process to cast a ballot, particularly for young people” said Caroline Smith, AGF’s Interim Director of Programs.

This year marks the third annual celebration of NVEW, which was founded in 2020 and is one of four Civic Holidays along with National Voter Registration Day (which took place this year on September 20), Vote Early Day (October 28), and Election Hero Day (November 7). The weeklong holiday focuses on one specific theme for each day of celebration, with daily events hosted by NVEW partners: 

  • Monday, October 3’s theme is #VoteReady, and is dedicated to helping voters register to vote or check their registration status. Fair Elections Center is hosting a virtual conversation about the importance of voting, with a call-to-action for viewers to check their registration status and register to vote.
  • Tuesday, October 4’s theme is #MailReady, and is dedicated to helping voters request and cast mail ballots. Various NVEW partners will host a coordinated social media push to answer common questions about voting by mail and encourage voters to look up their mail voting options and request their ballots.
  • Wednesday, October 5’s theme is #VotePlanReady, and is dedicated to helping voters make a plan to vote, whether early or on Election Day, by mail, or in person. NVEW partners will post short videos to share their vote plan and encourage their audiences to make a plan to vote in a campaign organized by When We All Vote
  • Thursday, October 6’s theme is #BallotReady, and is dedicated to helping voters understand what candidates and issues are on their ballot. Poder Latinx will host a virtual panel to uplift resources that Spanish-speaking voters can use to learn more about what’s on their ballot, and encourage voters to use those resources and help their families navigate their ballots as well. Plus, AGF’s Yael Bromberg, Esq., will speak on a virtual panel, The Importance of Youth Voting Rights, with Common Cause at 8:00 p.m. ET. Register here
  • Friday, October 7’s theme is #ElectionReady, and is dedicated to going beyond the vote to mobilize others in your community to make their voices heard. The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law will host a virtual panel to uplift voter protection resources and tips and tricks for fighting mis- and disinformation online.

Caroline Smith added, “we are so excited about the work our Andrew Goodman Campus Teams are doing to celebrate National Voter Education Week. In addition to sharing information in social media campaigns, they are hosting events to mobilize and equip their peers to register to vote, request and complete mail ballots, and access up-to-date information about the Midterm Elections.”

“Voter education has always been vital to our democracy, and has taken on added importance in recent years as new laws and practices have changed the way many people access the vote,” said SLSV Coalition Deputy Director Eddy Zerbe. “That’s why it’s so exciting to see hundreds of organizations and thousands of individuals stepping up to ensure communities everywhere have the information they need to be confident voters this fall.” 

About The Andrew Goodman Foundation

The Andrew Goodman Foundation’s mission is to make young voices and votes a powerful force in democracy by training the next generation of leaders, engaging young voters, and challenging restrictive voter suppression laws. The organization is named after Andrew Goodman, a Freedom Summer volunteer and champion of equality and voting rights who was murdered, alongside James Earl Chaney and Michael Schwerner, by the KKK in 1964 while registering Black Americans to vote in Mississippi. To learn more, visit www.andrewgoodman.org.

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