This week, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) announced that it has registered more than 50,000 Latino voters for the upcoming 2012 elections through its multistate campaign, Mobilize to Vote (M2V). M2V is at the core of NCLR’s Civic Engagement Project, which aims to build and support long-term Latino participation in the democratic process. M2V seeks to provide the tools for eligible Latinos to register, raise the profile of issues they care about, and ensure their ability to vote on Election Day.
“Every election marks a critical step for the Latino community and presents an opportunity to advance the change needed locally and nationally for all Americans to thrive. With more Latinos registering and voting, we strengthen the ranks of those who care about solving the nation’s most pressing problems,” said Clarissa Martínez-De-Castro, Director of Civic Engagement for NCLR.
M2V has community canvassing operations in Florida, Colorado, Nevada, and Pennsylvania, and site-based operations in partnership with NCLR Affiliate organizations in California, Idaho, New York, North Carolina, and Texas. The campaign also has an online component, giving Latinos nationwide an opportunity to register online as well as participate in theM2V Challenge, where users earn rewards for encouraging friends and family to register. Those interested in joining the campaign can also get involved via text message by texting POWER to 62571. Finally, NCLR is hosting town hall forums across the country which highlight policy issues that impact the Latino community, provide voter education and protection tools, and offer opportunities for long-term engagement.
¡Todos a Votar! Latino Vote Campaign to Stop in AZ
Arizona, the state that became ground zero in the national debate over state-sponsored anti-immigrant laws, is the next stop on the national ¡Todos a Votar! (“Let’s Vote”) Latino voter education campaign. The nonpartisan campaign, sponsored by national and local Latino advocacy organizations, has a goal of registering 650,000 new Latino voters and mobilizing 12 million Latino voters on Election Day, November 6.
The tour began two weeks ago in California and was in Nevada last week. Florida, Colorado and Texas also are on the tour schedule. Groups participating in the campaign are Mi Familia Vota (MFV), National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), Center for Community Change (CCC), Presente.org, Voto Latino, and the Hispanic Federation.
“Arizona has shown Latinos why we need to register and vote,” said Eliseo Medina, SEIU International Secretary-Treasurer. “In Arizona, Latinos have suffered the consequences of bad policies written by politicians who do not represent our interests. The ¡Todos a Votar! Tour is about reminding Latino voters of what is at stake in this election: good jobs, tax fairness, affordable health care and a sensible immigration process.”
For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Todos-a-Votar-Lets-Vote/337262393024188
Twitter hashtag: #voto12
