National Voter Registration Day

By Katie Beckmann Mahon, Communications Manager

This week’s “Embracing Faith” article will focus on Embracing Faith through Advocacy.

“The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom,

and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

-Proverbs 9:10

September 28th is National Voter Registration Day, a “day of civic unity” that raises awareness of voter registration opportunities while celebrating our democracy. (1)

First recognized in 2012, National Voter Registration Day organizers have worked diligently to register 4.5 million voters, including 1.5 million in 2020. Even with that notable accomplishment, they still have much work to be done since as many as 1 in 4 eligible Americans are not registered to vote. (1)

Since many individuals find themselves unable to vote for reasons such as missing a registration deadline, not updating their current voter registration, or being unaware of registering, National Voter Registration Day seeks to raise awareness to ensure everyone has the opportunity to vote. (1)

Along with registering voters, the organizers of National Voter Registration Day also seek to educate citizens on the ways they can stay engaged in the voting process along with the ways they can vote, such as requesting mail-in ballots and early voting. (1)

Educating voters and increasing election turnout is a cause that is important to the organizers of National Voter Registration Day and the Sisters of Saint Dominic of Blauvelt, New York.

Several Sisters of Saint Dominic are members of the Blauvelt Social Justice Committee and participate in advocacy efforts ranging from attending demonstrations, marching for social justice causes. Last year, the Social Justice Committee participated in a postcard writing campaign to increase voter turnout in the 2020 Election.

When discussing the postcard project, Sr. Joan Agro, OP, shared, “I hoped that it would allow us, despite the lockdown due to COVID, to participate in the election season, and in doing so, encourage others, strangers to us, to participate by voting, as well.”