Participating in a ‘ historic election’
Community leaders rally together to promote voter turnout in ‘ Campaign for Power’
William Anderson could not be more proud of his roots. At a news conference held by the Black Political Empowerment Project on Thursday evening to promote voter turnout among Pittsburgh’s African American community in November’s election, Mr. Anderson held up a black- and- white photo from 1974 of his grandmother — Evelyn D. Richardson — and himself at 2 years old.
Ms. Richardson was one of the first African Americans elected to the Democratic National Committee. Fast forward to today, 46 years after the photo was taken, and Mr. Anderson has become the director of the Allegheny County Democratic Black Caucus.
“The apple hasn’t fallen far from the same tree,” Mr. Anderson said.
Seeing how his grandmother paved the way before him has inspired him to make sure other people in the Black community are involved with the political process.
Mr. Anderson, along with about 50 other people from about a dozen organizations across the state, gathered Thursday evening to introduce the “Campaign for Power” — an initiative created to educate voters and increase voter turnout. The Urban League of Pittsburgh, the NAACP Pittsburgh Branch, VoteAllegheny and the League of Women Voters were among the organizations present to discuss what actions their organizations are taking to promote voter turnout — from canvassing neighborhoods to
planning forums for voter education.
B- PEP Chairman and CEO Tim Stevens announced his organization is putting banners on 20 Port Authority buses for two months prior to Election Day. Mr. Stevens also announced the organization is renting 17 billboards beginning Oct. 1 for one month in various neighborhoods across the Pittsburgh area — including Wilkinsburg and McKeesport. Both the banners and billboards will promote that people register to vote by Oct. 19, vote early by mail- in ballots or vote on Nov. 3. The banner for the buses also have the phrases, “A historic presidential election!” and “We vote in each and every election!”
“We have 61 days before the election. This is indeed a historic election,” Mr. Stevens said. “The Supreme Court is at stake. The federal courts are at stake. The policies and procedures and direction of this nation are at stake. Your freedom might be at stake. How we behave as a nation is at stake.”
Regardless of party, Mr. Stevens’ ultimate goal is to have high voter turnout, especially among the Black community.
“Our mission is that we vote in each and every election and that those in office expeditiously meet our needs, aspirations and concerns and African Americans see the connection between voting in each and every election and getting results that we would request,” Mr. Stevens said.
Mr. Anderson also discussed his proposal to get the DNC Black Caucus Chair Virgie Rollins to adopt the “African American Vote” campaign, which creates a lifetime commitment to ensure the Black Caucus’ campaign outreach will include promoting African Americans’ voting every year.
Ron Bandes, president of VoteAllegheny, discussed how the best way to vote is mail- in ballot. Mr. Bandes also told the public they are still in need of poll workers.
Organizations such as the League of Women Voters said they would provide information on their websites about voting and viewpoints from those running in highly contested races in November’s election other than for president, such as Sean Parnell and incumbent Rep. Conor Lamb in the 17th Congressional District.
At the end of the news conference, Mr. Anderson said he felt “great and inspired” to see the number of organizations that have come together to increase voter turnout.
“In 2020, who would think at 47 years old I would be going through and fighting just about the exact same fight my grandmother did at just 2 years old?” Mr. Anderson said. “That’s what I try to tell people my age and younger: how important it is to vote. ... Without their vote, without their consistent participation in our democracy, nothing is ever going to change. You can rally. You can march all you want, but unless you participate, unless you actively engage your community and help them understand how deep this is, things are never going to change.”