Krieger, Harris urging fans to vote in the November election

Orlando Pride stars Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris are urging the Orlando community to vote during the upcoming presidential election.

The couple spoke during a Central Florida Women for Biden on Wednesday night, urging women in Orlando and throughout Central Florida to get out the vote. Harris and Krieger backed the Democratic ticket of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, stating their concerns about climate change, women’s rights and LGBT rights helped influence their endorsement.

The couple has been active supporting efforts to get out the vote, joining fellow professional athletes urging fans to participate in National Voter Registration Day on Tuesday.

“We’re not going to allow someone else to make the decisions that we believe in and that we want for ourselves,” Krieger said. “We’re going to actually show for ourselves, show up to the polls and make our voice heard.”

Both players have been vocal backing the Black Lives Matter movement and the LGBT community during their their time in Orlando.

In an Instagram post, Harris shared the couple’s growing concern following the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg — the second woman appointed to the court who was seen as an advocate for women and equality — on Friday.

Many members of the LGBT community have shared a fear their rights could come under fire as a result of the upcoming election and changes in Supreme Court composition. Harris shared she and Krieger are preparing documents with their legal team in the event same sex marriage is struck down through future court challenges.

“With the recent events and things that are going on, Ali and I are scared, too,” Harris said. “But that makes us stronger and we’re going to keep fighting and no matter what happens, our voice will be heard and we will show up for our community. We want hope and we want a better future, especially for our future family and our children.”

Harris cited low voter turnout in the Orlando area during the last presidential election as a concern.

In 2016, Florida saw a 75% voter turnout across the entire state — well above the national average of 61.4%. But President Donald Trump won the state by a margin of 1.2%, the fifth-closest result of any state in the country.

With Florida poised to be a swing state again in 2020, Harris called upon the local community to take action.

“I want to wake up hopeful again,” Harris said. “I want to live in a better America, a place where I’m proud to represent and I’m proud to play for.”