HBCU fraternities, sororities announce joint voter mobilization effort

CHARLOTTE, N.C. ( QUEEN CITY NEWS ) — One of the main initiatives for the nine historically Black fraternities and sororities is voter awareness and registration. And while this election year is like no other before, the organization’s leadership says the push to make sure people are registered is no different than any other year.

“As we know that voter registration, it is a critical first step in our democratic process,” said  Tiffany Hefney, the President of the Rock Hill chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated.

She says the organization is nonpartisan — and has not and will not endorse a candidate — but members want to make sure everyone has a say in deciding who will be the nation’s leaders. Officials hope this annual campaign will activate thousands of chapters and members across the country to ensure strong voter turnout in the communities they serve.

“That wasn’t a response to our current events. That was more of saying, ‘Just do what you’ve been doing for the past years.’ And that’s again: engage in our communities, making sure that whether you’re on the Democratic part or the Republican part, our communities have the information,” Hefney said.

A Pew Research study shows that about 66% of the voting-eligible population turned out for the 2020 presidential election. That’s the highest rate for any national election since the year 1900.

“Fourteen nonpartisan organizations have got together to mobilize in different areas, whether it be with the schools, whether it be nursing homes, whether it is canvassing in saying we will continue to do what we’ve done in the past here in Rock Hill,” said Sharon Wallace, the President of the Rock Hill National Pan-Hellenic Council, or NPHC.

It won’t just be women pushing the initiative; fraternities, including Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated, will also be part of the effort.

“Making sure that we are visible so that people can see that voting is an important task for all of us, making sure that we encourage other men to get out to vote,” said Ashley Grant, the keeper of the books for the Rock Hill chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi.

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