IAVA Was Joined by Veterans for American Ideals and Power the Polls

New York, NY – Today, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Veterans for American Ideals and Power the Polls hosted a Facebook Live event highlighting the importance of the veteran vote. 

“At its heart, voting is the embodiment of the democracy that veterans have fought so hard to defend,” said Jeremy Butler, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. “It is also an effective way for veterans to make their voices heard and ensure their priorities are acted upon. Groups like Veterans for American Ideals and Power the Polls are working tirelessly to make sure our veterans are able to exercise this duty- and get involved- safely and securely.”

IAVA urges veterans and servicemembers to visit the organization’s Vote Hub to easily register to vote, access information relevant to their registration locations, and even sign up to work the polls. 

“As veterans, we believe that our service doesn’t stop when we take off our uniform.” said Maggie Seymour of Veterans for American Ideals. “We must be willing to step up and serve the needs of our community when called – and now, more than ever our communities need us. Fair, free, and trusted elections are the cornerstone of democracy, as a veteran it’s my duty and my honor to protect that cornerstone. One of the most rewarding things I did while deployed was to support the elections of new democracies, so I’m more than happy to do the same for my own country.”

“The poll worker shortage is an urgent issue, and we’re on the clock,” said Courtney Cardin from Power the Polls. “This unprecedented shortage threatens our democracy, puts our older population at risk, and disproportionately affects low-income communities and communities of color. This is a historic moment for first-time poll workers to sign up to protect their communities, their neighbors, and their democracy. We will keep working until there are enough poll workers and volunteers to keep polling sites open, staffed, efficient, and functioning. We must do everything we can to ensure this upcoming election is safe, fair, and accessible.”

IAVA has been a lead advocate for veteran voting, partnering with allies like Veterans for American Ideals and Power the Polls. Using your right to vote can be the first step in achieving new wins in Congress and change in the veteran community.

IAVA is the voice for the post-9/11 veteran generation. With over 400,000 veterans and allies nationwide, IAVA is the leader in non-partisan veteran advocacy and public awareness. We drive historic impacts for veterans and IAVA’s programs are second to none. Any veteran or family member in need can reach out to IAVA’s Quick Reaction Force at quickreactionforce.org or 855-91RAPID (855-917-2743) to be connected promptly with a veteran care manager who will assist. IAVA’s The Vote Hub is a free tool to register to vote and find polling information. IAVA’s membership is always growing. Join the movement at iava.org/membership.

Veterans for American Ideals (VFAI), a project of Human Rights First, is a non-partisan movement and a coalition of veterans and allies who continue their service to America by upholding, defending, and advocating for human rights at home and abroad. We believe that our service doesn’t stop after taking off the uniform, and that citizenship demands participation. Our campaigns include saving the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program for wartime allies who supported the military in Iraq and Afghanistan, restoring access to asylum at the border, and countering anti-Muslim bigotry and other biases in the United States.

Power the Polls is a first-of-its-kind initiative to recruit poll workers to ensure a safe, fair election for all voters. Amidst a nationwide poll worker shortage and fewer than 100 days to sign up as many as 250,000 new workers nationally, Power the Polls is part of the solution through education, recruitment, and business engagement. Power the Polls was launched in June 2020 by a coalition of businesses and nonprofits, including Civic Alliance, Center for Secure and Modern Elections, Comedy Central, Fair Elections Center, Levi Strauss & Co, MTV, Patagonia, Pizza to the Polls, Time To Vote, Uber, and We Can Vote. The website utilizes data from Work Elections, a unique website developed by Fair Elections Center that centralizes information on poll worker requirements and links to applications for over 4,000 election jurisdictions around the country. For more information for voters, organizations and businesses looking to participate, visit www.powerthepolls.org. 

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