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Tuesday, September 25, is National Voter Registration Day and a diverse array of public education and voting rights groups are coming together to register as many eligible New Mexicans as possible for this important occasion.
New Mexico has a voter registration crisis as over 250,000 eligible voters are not registered to vote. The events happening on September 25 in Albuquerque seek to lower this number by registering new voters, updating registrations, and informing New Mexicans about the importance of voting in local, state, and national elections.
Two simultaneous events will take place Tuesday on the main campuses of CNM and UNM. The Albuquerque events are part of National Voter Registration Day activities being organized by individuals and organizations across the nation. There will be voting registrars on hand at both CNM and UNM who will be registering new voters and updating existing registrations. The events will also include food, music, and information from the participating organizations about Election Day, voting rights, and volunteer opportunities in New Mexico.
The participating organizations in these events include NM Vote Matters, the League of Women Voters, the American Association of University Women, Common Cause NM, the Native American Voters Alliance, Voto Latino, Nuestra Eleccíon, NM PIRG, the UNM and CNM Dreamteams, UNM MEChA and others.
Voting is our most fundamental American right yet too many eligible voters are not registered and therefore do not vote on Election Day. Young people, unmarried women, and people of color – what is known as the Rising American Electorate – are all particularly underrepresented at polls across America.
As the old saying goes, ‘If you don’t vote, you can’t complain.’ Voting brings us all together as Americans; it is the one time that we all have the same say and can all participate equally in our democracy. The act of voting determines the future of our country yet, sadly, not enough of us make our voices heard on Election Day. The National Voter Registration Day events in Albuquerque next Tuesday are a chance to learn more about how to participate in the voting process. Voting is simple and easy once you are registered and know where to vote. So come out to CNM or UNM on Tuesday, September 25, have some fun, have some food and make your voice heard!
Alex Curtis, Community Member
