Today is National Voter Registration Day -- which also means we are just under 50 days until Election Day. The ever-important day in our country will be here before we know it, and the NFL continues to expand its commitment to supporting this cardinal component of democracy.
The NFL Votes initiative was founded as a joint effort between the league and the NFL Players Association in August 2020, just ahead of that year's presidential election. The campaign is a league-wide nonpartisan initiative -- which includes partnerships with I am a voter, RISE, ROCK the Vote and Vet the Vote -- that supports and encourages civic engagement among NFL players and legends, club and league personnel and fans. My support for this initiative -- and the belief in the fundamental right to vote, as well as fair access to the ballot -- is grounded in equity and equality.
The NFL's commitment to voting and voter's rights can be seen through the evolution of its programming and increased partnerships. For example, the NFL is collaborating with the NBA on Election Day awareness -- particularly in the area of poll-worker recruitment.
Additionally, the NFL Votes initiative has inspired competitors to be partners. One of my favorite examples took place during the 2022 midterm election, when the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles went "old school" and collaborated for a PSA around voter awareness. It may not have been exactly like resurrecting the 1943 Steagles -- formed when the two franchises had to combine for one year because of how many players left to serve in the military in World War II -- but the effort certainly echoed that moment of cooperation in service of our democracy.
One source of league support being introduced this year is a $5,000 grant distributed to each of the 32 NFL clubs from the NFL Foundation, to help fund events promoting civic engagement within their communities. Every team is engaging in important and impactful work in this area, with efforts centered around three primary components: voter education, voter registration and voter activation.
Each club is required to host an introductory voter education session for players, coaching staff and club employees. In addition, some teams are also collaborating with organizations within their state and communities to offer voter education:
- The Arizona Cardinals launched the Civics Matters Arizona program in 2022, in partnership with the Close Up Foundation. This year, 275 high school students (40 schools and 14 school districts were represented) traveled via the Cardinals' team plane to Washington D.C. on an all-expenses-paid trip to participate in workshops and meetings with politicians.
- One of the NFL's four non-partisan partners, RISE, has already provided voter education programming for 28 of the NFL's 32 teams. As a member of RISE's board of directors, I know RISE facilitators have engaged with players, coaches, staff and other employees within the clubs. RISE is a national nonprofit that educates and empowers the entire sports community to eliminate racial discrimination, champion social justice issues and improve race relations. It has also served other leagues and colleges athletes across the country.
As for the voter registration component, every NFL player will have the opportunity to register to vote and receive ongoing support, but it doesn't stop there. NFL Votes has encouraged teams to promote and facilitate voter registration among fans.
- The New York Giants are participating in the seventh annual New Jersey Ballot Bowl, a statewide non-partisan voter registration and engagement competition led by and for students. There are 25 colleges and universities participating in this event – an opportunity for students to speak to voters about the impact that their vote makes in their communities and the nation, and how it strengthens our democracy.
The NFL has required all clubs to contact the appropriate state election officials and offer their facilities for voting-related activities as part of its voter activation element; however, thanks to different city/state requirements and needs, not every team's facility will be used. During both the 2020 presidential election and 2022 midterm election, teams extended similar offers, and as a result, NFL facilities were used as election sites for voter registration, ballot drop-off, early voting and Election Day polling locations -- an area of the NFL Votes initiative that has long been a personal passion of mine.
- The Carolina Panthers opened Bank of America Stadium as an early voting site in 2020 and 2022 , and they are once again using the venue as a polling location. From Oct. 17 through Nov. 2, Mecklenburg County residents will be able to go to the stadium to register to vote and cast their ballots.
- The Pittsburgh Steelers are supporting Voter Empowerment Education and Enrichment Movement’s Ride to the Polls program, designed to provide transportation on Election Day for people facing challenges in reaching their polling location in Allegheny County. Arranged pick-ups and transportation can be scheduled for pre-registration, mail-in ballot assistance and Election Day support.
- The Las Vegas Raiders SVP of Government and Community relations Piper Overstreet-White worked with Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar and the Clark County Election Department to designate Allegiant Stadium as a polling location -- conversations I was actively involved in. Aguilar expressed concerns about his state having not enough poll workers, so we helped connect him with NFL partner Vet the Vote, which has recruited more than 140,000 veterans and military family members throughout the country.
There is still a long way to go, but it's great to see the NFL expanding its efforts to support our democracy.
