After a discussion with NCIL President Lou Ann Kibbee on Tuesday, June 7, NCIL’s Voting Rights Subcommittee voted unanimously to send this Information Alert challenging NCIL members to get local and state officials to sign the Proclamation designating the 2nd week of July as National Voter Registration Week, which supports the growing involvement of the disability community in the political process.
Urge your local and state officials to sign annually during the 2nd week of July! A sample proclamation is available below for you to use.
WHEREAS in July 2015 people with disabilities and our supporters celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); AND
WHEREAS there are over 50 million people with disabilities of all ages living in communities throughout the United States; AND
WHEREAS the disability community has a critical interest in policies enacted at local, state and national levels that effect the integration of people with disabilities, young and old, into our communities; AND
WHEREAS getting the disability community involved in influencing public policies is essential if these policies are to meet the real needs of people with disabilities to live in the community; AND
WHEREAS voting is one way for the disability community to exert their influence at local, state and national elections; AND
WHEREAS there are multiple efforts to develop disability coalitions around the issue of voting; AND
WHEREAS REV UP America * Register – Educate – Vote Use your Power is a national effort to encourage local and/or state disability community voting coalitions; AND
WHEREAS members of national disability rights community are organizing a national Disability Voter Registration Week (DVRW) July 11th – July 15th;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the [insert city, county, state, etc.] supports the growing involvement of the disability community in the political process; AND
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the [insert city, county, state, etc.] designates the week of July 11th – 15th as National Disability Voter Registration Week.
