After registering more than 118,000 young people in advance of the 2018 midterm election, DoSomething.org today kicks off “Our 2020 Vision.” The new non-partisan voter registration campaign will help drive the largest youth turnout in American history for the 2020 presidential election. Young people are fired up. So is DoSomething.
Embarking on a massive campaign to register over 250,000 eligible voters, which will include digital and on-the-ground efforts, DoSomething will help ensure that all young people, regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, income, location, or political affiliation, have the opportunity to make their voices heard by participating in the political process. In 2020, young people are grabbing the mic and saying it loud: ‘We are the voters, and we are making Our 2020 Vision a reality.’
“Young people are educated, and they’re ready to decide this election,” says Aria Finger, CEO of DoSomething.org. “Through DoSomething’s campaign, we are harnessing that energy and helping to unleash the power of young people to turn out in record-setting numbers and steer the future of our country.”
To do something well, you need support. That’s why the organization is continuing to scale its voter registration efforts with $500,000 from Craig Newmark Philanthropies, announced in September 2019. The gift is helping to eliminate the barriers to voting that marginalized groups face. In addition, DoSomething has received support from LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman as well as Luminate.
“To thrive, our democracy needs all folks to be civically engaged, and that requires everyone having the opportunity to exercise their right to vote,” said Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist and Craig Newmark Philanthropies. “DoSomething has a serious track record of helping to make this happen by registering young eligible voters, and I’m proud to support them as they expand these mission-critical efforts.”
With this support, DoSomething will extend its outreach to young voters through a multi-pronged online and offline voter education strategy. That work will include:
- Activations with relevant social influencers and youth activists such as Jamie Margolin, Haile Thomas, Brandon Farbstein, Val Weisler, Maya Penn, and more;
- Online voter registration drives;
- SMS election reminders and voting plans;
- Offline community organizing;
- Key partnerships with organizations such as Epic Reads, the largest community of passionate YA readers, Marie Claire, and others.
In 2020, the youth of America will make history. DoSomething and its partners will help them get it done.
