As Phi Theta Kappa members, we often stand out on our campuses as servant scholars and leaders who are plugged into our local communities. This shared sense of civic responsibility is why we are excited to announce a new partnership with When We All Vote, a non-partisan and non-profit organization aimed at registering as many new voters as possible by the November mid-term elections.
Spearheading this national organization is a powerful and impressive group of co-chairs: Michelle Obama, Tom Hanks, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Janelle Monáe, Chris Paul, Faith Hill, and Tim McGraw. These influencers are using their voices to make sure others know the importance of voting, and we are proud to do the same.
We ask each of you to join us in this initiative. When We All Vote will host a national Week of Action September 22-29, where volunteers from across the country will host voter registration events. We would love to see at least one PTK chapter in each state host an event during this week — but we know we can do better than that.
We challenge every chapter to host at least one voter registration event between September 22 and September 29. It can be as organized as your chapter setting up a table with information, or as casual as your members helping their close friends and family get registered.
The Week of Action happens to coincide with PTK’s Fall Awareness Week, so you can participate in both events at the same time. This would also make a great last-minute College Project, so get your college administration involved.
How to Get Started:
- Visit the When We All Vote website, where you can register to vote, sign up as a volunteer, and find events near you. You’ll also find a list of dos and don’ts for a successful voter registration drive, and the Events toolkit offers a comprehensive guide to getting started.
- Be sure to register your event. We’d love to keep a count of how many PTK chapters are participating, so please fill in “Phi Theta Kappa-[Campus]” in the “Organization” section.
- Because every state has different registration deadlines and guidelines, be sure to visit the website of your state’s Secretary of State prior to hosting an event.
- When We All Vote will share important information on its Facebook page regarding live events and trainings. The next one, which will focus on the events held during the Week of Action, will be held during the first week of September and we will follow up with more details. An online training was held August 16 and gave a broad overview of the program. Watch it HERE.
- We’ll share posts, photos, and more on PTK’s official social media sites that you can pick up and use to promote your own voter registration events.
Approximately 21 percent of Americans who are eligible to vote are not registered. Let’s work together to sign them up, and then let’s encourage them to exercise their right to vote in the mid-term elections in November and in all future elections. As civic leaders on our campuses and in our communities, let’s do our part to make sure all voices are heard.
Only a handful of votes decided our fate as International Officers, and surely the same has happened to you and your chapter or regional officers. You are a part of that handful of votes. You decide.
Now, think bigger. Think at a national scale. It’s simple, but it’s true: When we all vote, we can change the world.
Elda Pere, Won Joon Kang, David Parker, Carol Comer, and Philippe Schicker
2018-2019 International Officers
