We need your help!
The Urban League of Broward County is participating in the National Urban League initiative to engage South Florida residents in Broward and Palm Beach County to register to vote in the 2020 Presidential Election on November 3rd.
We are seeking volunteers to participate in the Voter Registration phone/texting bank.
Voter Registration Phone Banking
Daily; 4pm - 6-pm and 6pm - 8pm
Download Instructions
Start Phone Banking Now
https://www.openvpb.com/vpb_bycode/E59B54I-184508
#AdvanceTheVote #ReclaimYourVote
"Let's do this another way. Let's stop thinking our voices don't matter and vote. Not just for the president… educate yourself and know who you're voting for. And that's how we're going to hit 'em'"
– George Floyd's brother, Terrence Floyd.
Black Americans played a pivotal role in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, yet the Black voter turnout declined in the 2016 elections. Increasing the Black voter turnout in Broward County alone could have significantly changed the outcome of the 2016 and 2018 elections.
The Urban League of Broward County's Advance the Vote Campaign aims to
- Ensure every eligible resident is registered to vote;
- Educate voters on their voting rights, candidates and ballot initiatives;
- Increase the number and percentage of Black voters who turn out to vote; and
- Hold our elected officials accountable to their constituency.
In the last several months, we have seen the country change drastically in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has altered the very fabric of our daily lives as a record number of people lost their jobs, millions contracted the virus, and thousands have died. For all of our collective misery, the news bore out what many already knew: Black people bore the brunt of both blows — with higher infection and death rates from the virus and worse unemployment numbers.
We are grappling with a long history of police violence. The country has become hyper-aware of societal inequalities based on race, namely disproportionately higher rates of arrests, imprisonment, and experiences with police brutality.
Vote. Vote. Vote. The Black Community has always been able to absorb shock and fear and exude hope and resilience. Let us rise to the occasion to let our voices be heard through the power of our vote. Help us fight for safe and accessible voting for all of Broward County. We must fight to protect our progress through civic engagement activities.
Check your status in Broward County. Click here.
Complete the form to see:
- Where to vote on election day
- Sample ballots
- Upcoming elections
You will also be able to:
- Request a mail ballot
- Review/update your voter registration information
- Check the status of your mail ballot review your voting activity for the past 12 months
To register to vote online, you need a valid government-issued identification card. This can include a Florida's driver's license (DL) or ID. You will also need to know the issued date of your Florida DL or ID Card, and the last four digits of your social security number.
Note: If you do not have anyone or all of the information above, you may still use the online system to prefill a voter registration application form. However, you will have to print, sign, and then mail or deliver your completed voter registration application to the Supervisor of Elections office.
To be eligible to register to vote you must:
- Be a citizen of the United States of America;
- Be a legal resident of Florida;
- Be a legal resident of the county in which you seek to be registered;
- Be at least 16 years old to preregister or at least 18 years old to register and vote;
- Not be a person who has been adjudicated mentally incapacitated with respect to voting in Florida or any other state without having the right to vote restored; and,
- Not be a person convicted of a felony without having your right to vote restored after the passage of Amendment 4. For more information, please visit the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition at FRRC.org
WHEN ARE THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS?
Primary Election
August 18, 2020
General Election
November 3, 2020
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
July 20
Registration Deadline
August 8
Primary Election Absentee Request Deadline
August 18
Primary Election Date
October 5
General Election Registration Deadline
October 24- October 31
Early Voting
October 24
General Election Ballot Request Deadline
November 3rd
General Election
COVID-19 has eclipsed our thoughts over the past several months. Our hearts and minds are on the health and financial well-being of our families and friends. But we mustn't forget the most critical role that we will have this year to change our circumstances: Our role as an active and informed voter.
As we wage an unpredictable war against an invisible enemy, we also are waging a battle against voter apathy and fear. Both are reasons people stay home, but this year fear or apathy could lead to low voter turnout on an unprecedented scale. Those who do not care and those who fear for their health and safety will not visit the polls, which could suppress the American people's will and voice.
Now is the moment when we are called to consciously fight against those emotions. The 2020 election year may be the most important election year in over a century. I do not say this lightly. As part of our civic engagement efforts, the Urban League's staff and volunteers through the Young Professionals Network have participated in events and conversations with local, state, and national partners around increasing voter engagement and turnout. Our work is centered around the knowledge that Black people are a powerful voting bloc. Our communities can change the outcomes of any election when we participate.
Our communities need resources. With COVID-19, we now truly understand the digital divide and the importance of ensuring that all children have access to food, internet, and reliable technology. We must be a nation that respects educational inclusion. With COVID-19, millions of Americans lost their employer-sponsored health insurance and will need alternatives through legislation. Healthcare for millions depends on you.
Florida Elections Matter More Than You Think
Florida is one of six battleground states that will be important to determine the president of the United States. Florida has delivered incredibly close election margins in national and state elections over the last two decades. President Obama won the state by a fraction of a percentage point, while President Trump won it by slightly more than one percentage point in 2016. The margins in the 2000 elections were so close that a Supreme Court case settled a dispute leading to President Bush declared the winner of the state.
Over the past two years, we continue to fight for the right to vote for more than 1 million formerly incarcerated people. While we are still fighting, we are reminded of the power of the individual vote.
What about local elections? Local elections impact your day to day lives in a way that state and national elections may not.
Every. Vote. Counts. Do more than just vote. Educate yourself on the candidates and learn how their positions impact your community.
National Resources
2019 State of Black America Report
Updates for Returning Citizens
Florida Rights Restoration Coalition
Local Voting Resources
League of Women Voters of Broward County