NASHVILLE, Tenn. (September 24, 2019) – Five members of the Tennessee Mayors Growing Civic Engagement project are joining with ThinkTennessee and state and local leaders from across the country to honor National Voter Registration Day.
Founded in 2012, National Voter Registration Day is designed to create an annual event when the entire nation focuses on registering Americans to exercise their most basic right – the right to vote.
Today, Athens Mayor Chuck Burris, Kingsport Mayor Pat Shull, Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder and Weakley County Mayor Jake Bynum released proclamations announcing the national day, kicking off their first collective action as members of Tennessee Mayors Growing Civic Engagement.
“Tennessee has a rich civic history, and our current rates of voter registration and turnout are too low to honor it the way they should,” said Shanna Singh Hughey, ThinkTennessee president. “With Tennessee Mayors Growing Civic Engagement, we recognize the incredible power that local leaders have to make an impact. These mayors aren’t just calling attention to an issue, they’re doing what mayors do best – they’re engaging in concrete, collective action to fix it.”
ThinkTennessee helped organize and launch Tennessee Mayors Growing Civic Engagement earlier this year in an effort to increase voter registration and participation in local communities. With eleven mayors from across the state and both sides of the political aisle currently participating, its growing membership demonstrates strong and diverse bipartisan support for initiatives that help Tennesseans have their voices heard at the ballot box.
In honor of National Voter Registration Day, county election commissions, high schools and city libraries will also host voter-registration drives. Eligible Tennesseans can also register to vote at https://ovr.govote.tn.gov/ and follow National Voter Registration Day activities through social media by searching #NationalVoterRegistrationDay.
