Democracy Fest August 6!
Downtown Ithaca March for Voting Rights and Celebration
In honor of the anniversary of the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, the NY State Senate has passed a bill to commemorate August 6th. Please join Rejoice the Vote in partnership with Southside Community Center for a celebration of what we have accomplished and a call to action to ensure voting rights for all.
2 pm Meet on the Ithaca Commons at the MLK, Jr sculpture
2:10pm Begin March to Southside Community Center
2:30pm Speakers, entertainment and free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream at Southside (305 S Plain St, Ithaca, NY 14850)
Join Us!
Voting should be a benefit, not a burden!
Is America possible without a free fully democratic process equally accessible to all citizens? Our three-pronged approach is geared to honor the past, celebrate the present, and challenge the future. It is aimed at changing the culture of voting from a chore to a joyful celebration.
Honor the Past.
Voting Vanguards brings to light the names of the hundreds who worked at great personal peril to obtain and maintain the right to vote and have their vote count. We celebrate voting as the centerpiece of creating and maintaining a healthy democracy.
Celebrate the Present.
The Votingest County Challenge is a joyous competition celebrating counties with the highest percentage of eligible voter participation. The prize is a trophy honoring those who have fought for voting rights.
Challenge the Future.
Early education and participation in schools can breathe life into the phrase “We the People” and strengthen the democratic foundation of our country. With the By a Show of Hands Student Voting Project, kids are registered to be student voters, create ballot initiatives, campaign, vote, and review the process in a fun, engaging year-long program.
“If American women would increase their voting turnout by ten percent, I think we would see an end to all of the budget cuts in programs benefiting women and children.”
– Coretta Scott King
“Democracy is a process, not a static condition. It is becoming rather than being. It can easily be lost, but never is fully won. Its essence is eternal struggle.”
– William Henry Hastie
“Voting is how we participate in a civic society – be it for president, be it for a municipal election. It’s the way we teach our children – in school elections – how to be citizens, and the importance of their voice.”
– Loretta Lynch
“We have government ‘By the People’ only if we make it so.”
– Dorothy Cotton
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