WEDNESDAY: Effort to register 56K potential new voters begins
Contact:
Brittany Cheatham: bcheatham@forwardjustice.org
Yolanda Barksdale: yolanda@poorpeoplescampaign.org
Unlock Our Vote: Voter registration campaign launches Wednesday for people with prior felony convictions
REV. DR. WILLIAM J. BARBER II TO JOIN OTHER SOCIAL JUSTICE LEADERS JOINING EFFORT TO REACH OVER 56,000 POTENTIAL NEW VOTERS
A CAMPAIGN TO REACH OVER 56,000 POTENTIAL NEW VOTERS WHO GAINED ACCESS TO THE BALLOT THROUGH A HISTORIC LAWSUIT AND COURT RULING BEGINS WEDNESDAY IN RALEIGH WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE UNLOCK OUR VOTE FREEDOM SUMMER TOUR.
Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, president and senior lecturer of Repairers of the Breach and co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, will speak during the program, which begins at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at Halifax Mall at 300 N. Salisbury St. in Raleigh.
The program will be live-streamed here.
For the next 14 weeks, the coalition leading Unlock Our Vote Freedom Summer Tour will host voter information and registration drives across the state as well as conduct phone and text outreach to potential voters.
The launch follows an April court decision that allows people with prior felony convictions to vote in the November election, marking the largest expansion of voting rights since the 1960s Voting Rights Act.
In a 2-1 decision in April, the state Court of Appeals issued a ruling that partially granted legislative leaders’ request for a stay in the CSI v. Moore lawsuit. But the stay only remains in place for the May 17 and July 26 primary elections. After these primary elections, the Court of Appeals ordered, the State Board of Elections must fully implement the trial court’s March 28th final judgment and order.
The court found that the state’s existing felony disenfranchisement law is unconstitutional and ruled that all North Carolina citizens living in community with prior felony convictions must be allowed to register and vote. This decision grants over 56,000 individuals the right to vote.
Other participating civil rights and social justice groups include: the North Carolina Second Chance Alliance, Forward Justice, Forward Justice Action Network, Emancipate Votes, ACLU of NC, Advance NC, NC Justice Center and Black Voters Matter.
Speakers include: Daryl Atkinson- Forward Justice; Dennis Gaddy- Community Success Initiative; Kerwin Pitman, Emancipate Votes; Kristie Pickett Williams, ACLU of NC; Corey Purdie, Wash Away Unemployment,; Diana Powell, Justice Served NC and individual plaintiffs in the lawsuit
In addition to the speakers, the program will feature a live DJ, free food, a voter registration drive, and volunteer training for partners who will help conduct voter registration outreach in the community.