Voter advocacy groups push for Alabamians to register to vote ahead of November

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — As election day slowly approaches, voter advocacy groups say they are working to encourage people to get out to the polls and vote.

Ida Tyree Hill is a member of the League of Women Voters of Greater Birmingham, a non-partisan political organization, and said organizers with the group are working to get people out to vote.

“Our efforts have always been to provide education, voter education and then also to help people by having voter registration clinics,” said Hill.

Hill said one step to educating is to remind people about the history of voting and on National Voter Registration Day the group plans to use their platform to do just that.

“I would just to see everybody remember the process we’ve come to just be able to vote.” said Hill.

The Omicron Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha is another group hosting a voter registration event on National Voter Registration Day from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Legion Field

“This rally is a part of our effort to emphasize the importance of voting,” said Michelle Clemon, the Connection and Social Action Committee Chair. “We’re going to be doing voter registration, voter education, voter restoration education, also education around expungement. So, we’re trying to show through our partners how important it is to vote and how to overcome some of the barriers sometimes we encounter while voting.”

Jefferson County Board of Registrar’s Chairman Barry Stephenson said the department has been busy registering people to vote ahead of November.

Stephenson said with the help of National Voter Registration Day they’re expecting a high voter turnout in Jefferson County for the 2024 Presidential Election.

“In 2020, we had over 325,000 people turnout, which is a very large number. We’re expecting to at least do that if not exceed it this November 5,” said Stephenson.

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