The United Independent Party announced today the kickoff of its statewide “Civic Engagement and Voter Registration Drive.”
Timed to honor Presidents Day and Black History Month, the news comes at a time when voter participation is at troubling lows. Over 2 million Massachusetts voters did not vote in the November 2014 election, and national voter turnout was the lowest in 72 years.
“The United Independent Party is dedicated to civic engagement,” said United Independent Party Chairman and former 2014 gubernatorial candidate Evan Falchuk. “Low voter turnout reflects the sense so many people have that the political system does not represent them,” said Falchuk. “Now more than ever, we must work together to create civic engagement by reaching out to people where they are, getting them to register to vote, and showing them how to make sure their voices are heard.”
The UIP also announced that Ron Bell, long-time voting rights activist, community organizer, and Senior Adviser to the United Independent Party, will play a lead role in this effort. “Voting is how we make our voices heard and how we make our state better,” said Bell. “The way to hold our leaders accountable is to take the frustrations so many people feel and to channel them into constructive, positive action, which is why I am excited to be part of this movement.”
Statewide voter registration events are already underway, with a schedule of forthcoming voter registration drives to be announced in the coming weeks.
