With the 2020 presidential election just two months away, and voter registration deadlines rapidly approaching in many states, Global Citizen and HeadCount are launching the Just Vote campaign to mobilize young Americans to register to vote in the weeks ahead.
The nonpartisan campaign aims to engage 1 million voters and get young people registered before state deadlines. To achieve this goal, the campaign will offer exclusive experiences, performances, and memorabilia donated by artists and entertainers that can only be unlocked once eligible voters check their registration status.
Take Action: Check Your Voter Registration Status With 'Just Vote' Here
Participants will have access to virtual opportunities like a get-together with DJ Khaled, a happy hour with Quavo, and a dance lesson with Usher. Other artists and entertainers supporting the campaign include Billie Eilish, Billy Porter, FINNEAS, Julianne Hough, Loren Gray, Nicky Jam, and Taylor Swift.
“We are proud to launch the Just Vote campaign to encourage more young people to check their status and register to vote,” said Hugh Evans, co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen. “For years, we have been activating Global Citizens to be part of the solution to key issues like extreme poverty, climate change, and now pandemic relief. Voting is a vital way to exercise that power. We are excited about Just Vote’s potential to drive young voter turnout in November and beyond.”
The campaign is part of Global Citizen’s multi-year partnership with HeadCount that aims to mobilize young Americans ahead of the 2020 election and beyond. HeadCount, a grassroots civic participation organization, has been using music, culture, and digital media to register voters since 2004, and has so far registered more than 650,000 voters and recruited 40,000 volunteers.
Announced last month, the partnership between the two organizations comes at a time when voter registration numbers are at historic lows because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of new voters in April 2020 decreased by 70% in 11 states compared to four years ago. Other states have seen the number of new voters halve over the same period.
“With only a few months until the election, this is a pivotal moment to be launching Just Vote,” said Andy Bernstein, executive director of HeadCount. “The challenges of COVID-19 demand that we innovate the ways in which we engage potential voters. That’s why we are thrilled to partner with Global Citizen, these brilliant artists, and companies to excite voters and encourage participation in our democracy.”
By focusing on the younger population, the campaign targets more than a third of eligible voters, as members of Generation Z will make up 10% of eligible voters this year, and millennials will represent 27% of the eligible electorate.
Ensuring these voters make it to the polls, however, takes work.
Research shows that only 60% of them are planning to vote this election, and one-third of them did not know they could register to vote online.
By partnering with the entertainment industry, Global Citizen and HeadCount hope to reach these young voters, inform them of the importance of voting, and guide them through the registration process. The organizations will closely monitor voter registrations in order to track the Just Vote campaign’s success.
The campaign is also teaming up with corporate and foundation partners to expand its reach and impact. These partners — including Cisco, Procter & Gamble, and Wallace Global Fund — will give their employees time off to vote and participate in November’s election.
To learn more about the Just Vote campaign, visit globalcitizen.org/justvote.