Thank you to the Story County Board of Supervisors for allowing this proclamation to be read at their Aug. 27 meeting, proclaiming September 2019 as National Voter Registration Month.
The proclamation reads:
WHEREAS, registering to vote empowers eligible citizens to exercise their right to vote on Election Day; and
WHEREAS, while Iowa is one of the nation's leaders in voter registration and voter participation, with more than two million residents currently registered to vote, some eligible citizens have not yet registered; and
WHEREAS, this year is the centennial celebration of women gaining the right to vote through the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution; and
WHEREAS, one of the leaders of the women's suffrage movement was Iowan Carrie Chapman Catt; and
WHEREAS, the voter registration process in Iowa is readily available, with applications available through government agencies across the state; and
WHEREAS, the State of Iowa has an online voter registration system enabling citizens with Iowa driver's licenses or nonoperator identification cards to register to vote and update their registration status quickly and easily, any time of day; and
WHEREAS, 17-year-olds are now eligible to register to vote so they can participate in Iowa's primary elections; and
WHEREAS, the need for public information and education regarding voter registration is crucial as Iowa voters prepare to take part in the 2019 city and school elections; and
WHEREAS, we encourage all interested citizens and all appropriate media outlets and civic organizations to participate in this non-partisan voter registration awareness campaign to encourage the maximum participation of qualified voters in Iowa. NOW, THEREFORE, we, the Board of Supervisors of Story County, do hereby proclaim September 2019 as National Voter Registration Month; and September 24, 2019 as National Voter Registration Day.
