FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–September 11, 2019
Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, Partners Launch 2019 Get Out the Vote Campaign
This past Saturday, September 7, the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice and its partner organizations launched their campaign to set out across Louisiana to knock on doors, call voters, and hold community events and candidate forums with the goal of educating voters and getting out the vote for this year’s elections.
With approximately half of the state legislature set to turn over this election season, and dozens of important local races on the ballot all over Louisiana, the time is now to make our voices heard and advocate for the changes our community and state so desperately need.
Contacts:
Raegan Carter, Statewide Campaign Director, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, (225) 408-9301, rcarter@powercoalition.org
Peter Robins-Brown, Communications Director, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, (504) 256-8196, prb@powercoalition.org
NEW ORLEANS, LA | September 11, 2019—The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice (PCEJ–www.powercoalition.org) and our partner organizations launched our statewide Get Out the Vote effort this past Saturday, September 7, with local launch events taking place across Louisiana.
For the next two months, every organization in the coalition will be partnering to canvass communities, phone bank, and hold candidate forums. Our goal is to help educate voters and turn them out for this year’s October 12th and November 16th elections, as well as foster long-term civic engagement in communities that have traditionally been ignored by the political establishment.
“As we canvassed on Saturday, voters were really excited to have people talking to them about their power,” said Rene Smith, Lead Organizer with Voice of the Experienced (VOTE), in Baton Rouge. “People are especially appreciative that we’re discussing issues with them, and not candidates. Our team is excited about this campaign and our work to empower voters in Baton Rouge and all over Louisiana!”
Along with encouraging voters to turnout for this election cycle, PCEJ and its partners will also be asking people to pledge to become Power Voters. Power Voters: 1) vote in every election, educate themselves about their candidates, and take at least one other person with them to the polls; 2) hold their elected officials accountable by attending candidate forums and town halls, and contacting their representatives about important issues and pieces of legislation, and; 3) take part in the 2020 U.S. Census so their community is fully and properly counted, knowing that a full and proper count is essential to ensuring that our communities get the resources and representation they need to build a better future. Power Voters can share their pledge on social media using the hashtag #powervoter.
The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice works to build voice and power in traditionally marginalized communities. We are a coalition of groups from across Louisiana whose mission is to organize in impacted communities, educate and turn out voters, and fight for policies that create a more equitable and just system in Louisiana.
What: The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice held local events across Louisiana to launch its statewide 2019 Get Out the Vote campaign.
When: September 7–November 16, 2019
Where: New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Alexandria, Shreveport
Who: Power Coalition for Equity and Justice (PCEJ), Voice of the Experienced (VOTE), Jericho Road, VAYLA, Step Up Louisiana, Families and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children (FFLIC), Women With a Vision (WWV), HousingNOLA, the New Orleans Workers’ Center for Racial Justice (NOWCRJ), and the Louisiana Budget Project (LBP).