YMCA of Greater Boston to Host Voter Registration Drives

On Aug. 1 and 2, the YMCA of Greater Boston, in partnership with MassVOTE, will open its doors for organization-wide Voter Registration Drives. The goal is to provide opportunities for Y staff and members to register to vote to improve participation among all Y constituents in the upcoming Sept. 4 Massachusetts primary election and the Nov. 6 general election.

The Y’s Voter Registration Drives are part of an effort to encourage civic engagement among all of the Y’s constituent groups, especially young people, lower-income individuals, and ethnic and racial minorities, who historically participate in the political process at lower rates.

By providing the opportunity to register to vote, the Y will encourage staff and members to use their voices to vote on the issues that matter most to them and will do so by making voter registration easy and accessible. Trained high school volunteers, of MassVOTE’s “Young Civic Leaders,” will conduct the voter registration drives in the lobbies of the 10 participating branches.

According to US Census data and the Pew Research Center, voter turnout among African Americans fell in 2016, declining for the first time in 20 years in a presidential election, to 59.6 percent in 2016 after reaching a record high of 66.6 percent in 2012. That was a loss of 765,000 African American voters in 2016 or 16.4 million voting. This came at a time of record overall voter turnout of 137.5 million Americans in the 2016 presidential election, and white voter turnout increased from 64.1 percent in 2012 to 65.3 percent in 2016. Latino voter turnout held steady at 47.6 percent in 2016 compared to 48 percent in 2012.

“With many individuals participating in the electoral process, we want to make registering to vote as easy as possible,” says James Morton President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Boston. “We are partnering with MassVOTE to reach as many of greater Boston residents as possible. Voting is our most sacred Constitutional Right and must be exercised by all – our democracy depends on it!”

The Y’s Voter Registration Drive times and locations are as follows:

All people are encouraged to come out and register to vote. For more information, visit: ymcaboston.org.

ABOUT THE YMCA OF GREATER BOSTON:

The YMCA of Greater Boston is one of Massachusetts leading nonprofits committed to strengthening communities by improving health, empowering youth and activating people for good. Every day the Y works with thousands of men, women, and children to ensure that everyone, regardless of age, income or background, has access to Y programs and services. As the nation’s fifth largest charity, the Y is creating a community of caring people through meaningful memberships. For more than 165 years, the Y has been developing skills and emotional well-being through education and training, welcoming and connecting diverse populations, preventing chronic disease and building healthier communities. The YMCA of Greater Boston is America’s first Y.

###