Voting Rights Rally Set for Sunday at Town Hall

Clergy, lay leaders and supporters of the Long Island Organizing Network (LION) will gather at a rally on Sunday outside Babylon Town Hall to voice their collective concerns and raise awareness about what they said is a growing effort to suppress certain groups from voting.

Bishop Andy Lewter of Hollywood Full Gospel Baptist Cathedral in Amityville and Vice President of LION, said in a press release while the non-partisan group doesn't endorse candidates, it's working with church leaders, unions and civic associations to maximize voter registration and turnout.

“Here in New York there've been some attempts at passing voter ID legislation; even if those attempts aren't yet as threatening as in some other places, we still want to mitigate against cynical attitudes that discourage voting, and honor those who gave so much to ensure these rights,” he said.

The rally will be held at 1:30 p.m. on September 30 outside Babylon Town Hall on Sunrise Highway in Lindenhurst.

Other organizations involved in the effort include the NAACP Central Long Island Branch, North Amityville Community Economic Council and 23 churches from across Suffolk County. Organizers said they expect about 300 people to attend the rally.