For Immediate Release

Chicago —On September 25, 2012, Equip for Equality will join more than 700 groups across the country in the first ever National Voter Registration Day, a massive nonpartisan effort to register voters before the November 6th General Election. To garner attention to registration and promote the civic engagement of people with disabilities, Equip for Equality staff will conduct voter registration at numerous locations in Chicago, Springfield, Moline, and Carbondale on that date.
The right to vote is a fundamental right afforded to all citizens. Yet people with disabilities continue to face barriers in exercising that right. As a result, people with disabilities register to vote and turn out to vote at a lower percentage rate than people without disabilities. Equip for Equality’s participation in the National Voter Registration Day campaign is part of its ongoing commitment to improve access to the electoral process for people with disabilities.

“For the voices of people with disabilities to be heard by our elected officials, it is critical that they register to vote and turn out to vote”, said Zena Naiditch, President and CEO of Equip for Equality. “Voting brings power—the power to effectively influence action on the issues that impact our lives. Equip for Equality’s voter registration efforts help to ensure that individuals with disabilities have an equal and active role in our democratic process”.

For more information about voter registration activities, or to register to vote yourself, please contact Cheryl Jansen, Director of Public Policy, 217-544-0464 ext.6013, cherylj2@equipforequality.org.