By Michelle Eberle, Consultant at the Massachusetts Library System
The Massachusetts Library System and Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners have signed up as partners for National Voter Registration Day and your library can too. National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan civic holiday celebrating our democracy. In 2018-2019, 1.3 million voters registered to vote on National Voter Registration Day. National Voter Registration Day registers voters, mobilizes volunteers, educates citizens, and unites American. This inspirational statement is featured on their website: “National Voter Registration Day is a day of civic unity. It’s an opportunity to set aside differences, enjoy the rights and opportunities we all share as American, and celebrate our democracy.”
Celebrated each year on the fourth Tuesday of September, this year National Voter Registration Day will be held on September 22nd. The American Library Association is a national partner for National Voter Registration Day. ALA is providing libraries with resources to promote voter engagement including a Voter Engagement Guide and Tip Sheet for Community Leaders & Partners. Other partners include Google, the YMCA, the United Way, Twitter, NAMI, Paramount Network, and more. Over 2000 organizations are partnering on National Voter Registration Day.
National Voter Registration Day provides community partners with a toolkit for organizations including a communications toolkit, a field organizer’s kit, sample social media, and posters & stickers. MLS and MBLC will be posting the sample social media from the toolkit. MLS is planning a webinar about National Voter Registration Day with guest speakers in early September. Stay tuned for more information soon.
If your library is interested to get involved with National Voter Registration Day, you can learn more and sign up to partner at: https://nationalvoterregistrationday.org/
For more information about voting in Massachusetts, check out resources provided by the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Elections Division: