Voter Registration, Door to Door Canvassing and Voter Education
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One way that VOTE maintains accountable contact with our community is by hitting the streets. VOTE can be found knocking on doors, tabling at events and engaging with community all over New Orleans.
We take groups of volunteers and members out to neighborhoods to register voters, inform about upcoming elections, the work of VOTE and, most importantly, educate the public on the rights of formerly incarcerated people. Louisiana has the highest rate of incarceration in America, and the most families directly impacted by criminal convictions in America. These families live in communities that are systematically stripped of the most essential pillar of democracy: voting rights. The Louisiana constitution allows the state to suspend voting rights to anyone "under order of imprisonment" until the order ends. The legislature later passed a law making this mandatory, and defines "order of imprisonment" to include prison, parole, or probation. There are currently 45,000 people in prison, and 71,000 people living in the community under community supervision. In Louisiana, if you are not currently serving time in prison, on probation, or on parole: you can exercise your right to vote no matter what your prior conviction. This is not widely known, so we make sure to shout it from the mountaintops that YOU CAN VOTE! If you would like to register, click here: |
CAN'T VOTE? JOIN OUR FIGHT FOR RIGHTS?We believe in no taxation without representation. We believe that all of our families have a voice, regardless of race, gender, creed, or past involvement with the law. We know that people engaged in the community create stronger families and safer neighborhoods.
Learn more about our lawsuit for voting rights, VOTE v. Louisiana, by clicking here. |
student voter's guide
BestColleges.com is encouraging college students to get out the vote. They've created a comprehensive voter’s guide with everything you need to know about voting in the 2016 election:
- The state-by-state directory explores voter eligibility criteria, residency requirements, registration deadlines, and other voting guidelines in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
- The key issues guide takes a bipartisan look at the major talking points of this election, and reviews each candidate’s stance.
- The voting rights manual outlines the registration process for college students in all circumstances.
- The voting resources list includes links to campus organizations, registration portals, and other sites geared toward college voters.
