“North Carolinians, Your Votes Matter”: Local and Statewide Organizations Network to Ensure Every Vote Counts

Progress NC, Partners Spotlight Nonpartisan Events Around NC, including ‘Trick or Vote’ in the Triangle, Encouraging Every Voter to Cast Ballot.

A collaborative network of election-focused groups around North Carolina is helping not only to drive record-breaking turnout but to ensure that voting remains orderly and that every vote is counted. This network of both long-established and relatively new groups is focused on everything from election law to turning out young voters.

By the time campaign season ends, the effort will have included tens of thousands of volunteers and more than 600 events — all united by a commitment to make sure eligible voters cast their ballots. The groups will remain active in various ways through Election Day (Nov. 3) until the election process concludes.

During election years, local organizations have historically focused on educating and registering historically underserved voters. This year, election integrity has been added to their list.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and a slumping economy, as well as attacks on the election process, have all intensified the need for voter education, voter mobilization, poll monitoring, and community activism,” says Ashley McDermott, a regional organizer at the Sunrise Movement. “The goals of this unprecedented activity are simple and fundamental: To make sure that every eligible North Carolina voter casts a ballot and that every vote cast during this record-breaking election turnout is counted”.

In addition to supporting community activity around the state, the network can serve as an information resource to the press.

To learn more about the work around N.C. and/or to pose specific election-related questions, please contact Alanna Joyner, Communications Manager, Progress NC, alanna@progressnc.org.

Individual Groups and Events

The final day of early voting in North Carolina is Saturday, Oct. 31, so Halloween weekend will be bustling with activity. For example, the N.C. Asian Americans Together (NCAAT) will host an in-person “Trick or Vote” event on Oct. 31, 7 am – 4 pm, at Herbert C Young Community Center in Cary.

The network of groups involved in these events includes, among others:

• Common Cause: Working to build a democracy that is fair, vibrant, and inclusive of all.
• Advance North Carolina: Dedicated to building political and economic power in Black communities in North Carolina.
• Forward Justice: A nonpartisan law, policy, and strategy center dedicated to advancing racial, social, and economic justice in the U.S. South.
• NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina: Specializing in educating and mobilizing communities to protect full reproductive freedom for all people in North Carolina
• VoteAVL: A collaboration of Asheville locals, advocates, organizers, and leaders with one goal: increase the number of people in Asheville who vote.
• Protect Each Other NC: Individuals and organizations collaborating to protect people across N.C. from hate violence and bigotry and working towards our vision of an inclusive, equitable, multiracial democracy centered on care and freedom.
• Democracy NC: Specializing in voter education, mobilization, and protection.
• North Carolina for Black Lives: Black-led multiracial and multi-issue movement, united in a commitment to collectively defend, protect, and honor Black lives.
• Progress NC: Nonpartisan, non-profit organization dedicated to informing voters of key public policy issues through traditional news media and online and engagement.
• League of Women Voters NC: We empower voters and defend democracy through information, organizing, and voter services.
• North Carolina Asian Americans Together: Civic engagement, leadership development, grassroots mobilization, and political participation in Asian American communities in N.C.
• Sunrise Movement: A youth movement to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process.
• Carolina Jews for Justice: Dedicated to educating and mobilizing voters and protecting and strengthening democracy.
• Real Facts NC: Non-profit dedicated to researching and telling the real story about issues facing North Carolinians. We share current and developing public policy and messaging in service of a more equitable North Carolina.
• Southern Coalition for Social Justice: Specializing in legal advocacy, research, organizing, and communications.
• FLIP NC: All-volunteer, grassroots organization using direct voter outreach to elect progressives in North Carolina.
• Tuesdays with Tillis Indivisible: Specializing in education and advocacy around federal elections and legislative issues.
• Indivisible Triangle Daily Call to Action: Specializing in promoting voter engagement and holding elected officials accountable.
• Indivisible/Asheville: Specializing in community-based voter engagement and advocacy, with a focus on direct outreach to engagement.
• League of Women Voters NC: We empower voters and defend democracy through information, organizing, and voter services.
• Warren Wilson College, Center for Community Engagement: Focusing on voter education, registration, and mobilization for our students and employees.