We may be in the midst of a summer heat wave, but folks at the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), are gearing up for a cool fall election day on November 7. The REV UP (Register! Educate! Vote! Use your Power!) Campaign features National Disability Voter Registration Week (NDVRW), July 17-21, and you can get involved by signing a statement of support here.
According to AAPD, there are more than 35 million people with disabilities eligible to vote when registered. This number does not include the ripple effect of family, friends, and service professionals who vote in line with their disability interests.
Yet, people with disabilities register and vote at rates that continue to lag behind voters without disabilities. NDVRW empowers people with disabilities of all ages, ethnicities, genders, religions, and political affiliations to get involved and be heard by registering to vote, updating active registrations, and educating themselves about the electoral process.
During National Disability Voter Registration Week, REV UP Campaigns around the country will register and educate voters about issues and candidates, promote voter turnout, engage candidates and the media on disability issues and protect eligible voters’ right to participate in elections.
The event brings together disability rights advocates; local, state, and national disability organizations; civil rights organizations; elections administrators; and supporting organizations, such as Allsup, to increase nonpartisan voter registration, education and participation in the disability community.
This year, through a partnership with EveryLibrary, hundreds of libraries in nearly all 50 states have signed on to promote the goals of NDVRW through programming, outreach, public education and voter registration partnerships or on-site services.
For more information on REV UP! activities and voter resources in your community, click here.
