When We All Vote founder Michelle Obama and co-chair Chris Paul have released a video message encouraging Black voters to use their voices in this year’s midterm elections to celebrate National Black Voter Day.
Per the press release, Obama and Paul remind Black voters how important it is to show up in mass numbers at the polls in this election cycle. When We All Vote has partnered with BET's #ReclaimYourVote campaign to create the PSA, BLK, and several HBCUs to spread the word about voting.
“This National Black Voter Day, I want you to head over to WhenWeAllVote.org to check your voter registration status and ask three friends to do the same,” Obama said in the video.
“We’re seeing the polling places closed down, early voting hours being cut, folks being purged from the voting rolls,” Paul added. “Who would have thought that in 2022, our right to vote would still be under threat?”
Stephanie L. Young, Executive Director of When We All Vote noted that voting is a prerequisite for participation in our democracy and to create change in society.
“Democracy can often feel out of reach and out of touch, but we know it doesn’t have to be that way,” Young said. “Through new and creative partnerships, with BET, BLK, HBCUs across the country, and more, we are bringing the fight for our democracy and real change in our communities to Black voters in a way that is empowering and engaging. Together, we will change the culture around voting and ensure our communities’ voices are heard in the midterm elections and beyond.”
Launched by Obama in 2018, When We All Vote is an initiative of Civic Nation to change the narrative around voting. The organization also aims to increase Black voter participation in each election by closing the race and age gap. In 2020, the organization reached over 100 million people “to educate them about the voting process and get them registered and ready to vote.”
Due to the organization's grassroots efforts, over 512,000 people started or completed the voter registration process. Also, nearly 500 media, corporate, and nonprofit companies have partnered up with the initiative since its inception.
With midterms coming up, this message is crucial. Over the last several years, conservative lawmakers and judges have attempted to weaken the Voting Rights Act to make the process of voting more difficult for Black citizens. States across the country have tried to end early voting and challenged mail-in voting to discourage Black voters.
According to a Pew Research survey, the number of Black Americans eligible to vote has reached a record 30 million and make up 12.5 percent of the U.S. electorate.
