Call Recap – June 9 REV UP National Organizing Call
Preparing for National Disability Voter Registration Week 2017
June 15, 2017
Last Friday, on June 9, the REV UP Campaign hosted a National Organizing Call to prepare for National Disability Voter Registration Week (NDVRW) 2017. NDVRW is an annual effort to get more people with disabilities registered to vote while making the media and political candidates aware of the disability community as a powerful voting bloc. In 2016, according to Rutgers University, people with disabilities and their families (within the same household) accounted for 25% of the total electorate (62.7 million eligible voters).
During the call, we discussed the REV UP Campaign’s purpose as well as our state disability voting coalition strategy. We also reviewed our partnership with EveryLibrary and public libraries around the country, general voter registration strategies, and examples of NDVRW activities from current REV UP state partners.
Thank you to our guest speakers:
- Helena Berger, AAPD
- John Chrastka, EveryLibrary
- Ted Jackson, Disability and Voting Rights Advocate
- Dawn Howard, Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition (CCDC)
- Bob Kafka, REV UP Texas
- Molly Broadway, Disability Rights Texas
- Chamane Barrow, Houston Center for Independent Living
- Sha Stephens, Arkansas State Independent Living Council (ARSILC)
National Disability Voter Registration Week: July 17-21, 2017
Resources and Information
Visit the National Disability Voter Registration Week (NDVRW) webpage for more information about NDVRW; resources for hosting voter registration events; sample press releases, social media posts, and proclamations; and other ideas on how you can get involved during the week.
State Resources and Events
As we did last year, we are compiling a list of REV UP state resources and events for NDVRW and beyond. Getting people with disabilities registered to vote is the first step to increasing the political power of people with disabilities. Submit information about your event here and we will include it on the REV UP State Resources and Events page.
Collect Your Data!
An important part of building our political power is collecting data and building lists to show that there are many people with disabilities who are registered and plan to vote. We need your help to collect data and show the impact of our efforts. Even if your event only registers a handful of people, every amount counts and adds up! Please use the National Disability Voter Registration Week Reporting Form to record the number of people you register during National Disability Voter Registration Week.
REV UP Logos and Graphics
The REV UP Campaign has a variety of logos and graphics available free of charge. REV UP partners are welcome to use and modify these logos and graphics as they wish.
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- REV UP for Medicaid
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- REV UP for Voting Rights
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- REV UP for Independent Living
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- REV UP for the ADA
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- Justin Dart: Vote as if your life depends on it – because it does! (animated)
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- Show the power of the disability vote!
Download these graphics and more on the REV UP Images and Toolkits webpage
National Disability Voter Registration Week – Proclamations
Go to your Governor, Mayor, City Council, County Commissioner, State Representative, etc. to get the week of July 17-21, 2017 officially declared as National Disability Voter Registration Week (a draft Proclamation is available here). Please send any Proclamations you get to Zach Baldwin at zbaldwin@www.aapd.com so we can show the influence of REV UP across the country! Asking for a Proclamation is a great way to engage your state and local elected officials to make them aware of the REV UP Campaign and influence of the disability vote.
REV UP State Disability Voting Coalitions
With the 2018 mid-term elections just around the corner, we are starting by building state REV UP State Disability Voting Coalitions around the country. The purpose of the state voting coalitions is to influence election and policy outcomes at the local, state, and national level. We are looking for leaders who can pull together and organize advocates in their state to work together around voter registration and engagement activities and help establish a strong, diverse coalition.
The list of states getting involved continues to grow. To date we have REV UP State Disability Voting Coalitions established or developing in the following states:
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Georgia
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Missouri
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- Washington
If you see your state on this list and would like to get involved please contact Zach Baldwin (zbaldwin@www.aapd.com) so we can connect you with other advocates in your state. If you don’t see your state on this list and would like to help us launch a state coalition please contact Zach Baldwin (zbaldwin@www.aapd.com) so we can get the ball rolling.
Thank you for all that you do to REV UP and make the DISABILITY VOTE count!
