North Texas nonprofit works to improve voter turnout
NORTH TEXAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) – A North Texas nonprofit is working to improve voter turnout, specifically focusing on engaging students and people of color.
"Our mission is to increase electoral participation in underrepresented communities, and that's where we see the gap is between racial groups and definitely by age group when we look at who's showing up at elections," said Camila Correa Bourdeau, the executive director of March to the Polls.
Early voting is officially underway for the May 6 municipal elections right now, which typically have low voter turnout.
"On average we have about seven percent voter turnout," Bourdeau said. "You have as low as two percent in some precincts, electing leaders that are making decisions about our schools, our housing, and our health."
To improve turnout, March to the Polls visits high schools in seven North Texas school districts every year to help with voter registration and education.
"When you're fresh out of high school or just turning 18, you don't have the knowledge to maybe know where to go vote or when to go vote or who to contact if you have an issue in your school or community," said Jessica Lugo, program manager for March to the Polls.
The nonprofit is nonpartisan. They don't tell people who to vote for, just how the voting process works.
March to the Polls also gives students the resources to create their own voter empowerment clubs to host events like candidate forums and voter registration drives.
The organization hopes it sparks a lifelong commitment to voting and civic engagement.
"If they know early on the power that they have in using their voices, it will be something that's really a part of our culture in the community and in the metroplex," Lugo said.
March to the Polls recently won $45,000 in funding through United Way of Metropolitan Dallas' annual pitch competition.
The nonprofit says the money will help them expand the number of high schools they work with to educate future voters.
