Many celebrities are encouraging Americans to exercise their right to vote in the coming election and one of them is LeBron James. The NBA star is helping in spearheading a multimillion-dollar effort that will recruit poll workers in preparation for November’s election.
James is working with More Than a Vote which aims to recruit poll workers specifically in Black communities and electoral districts. They do this through a paid advertising campaign as well as a corporate partnership program which aim to encourage employees to volunteer. In addition to the basketball star, Toni Braxton, Allyson Felix and others also offered their support to this initiative.
Today is National Poll Worker Recruitment Day. More to come, but our community needs poll workers on Election Day. @Morethanavote and @NAACP_LDF is partnering on national campaign to recruit. You can sign up at https://t.co/T8WdsO25mX #BlackLivesMatter
— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 1, 2020
James opened up about his support last week by wearing a More Than a Vote t-shirt while staying at the NBA’s quarantined campus in Orlando, Florida.
More Than a Vote emerged in June amid the demonstrations conducted against the deaths of George Floys, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor. The organizers said that the initiative focuses on recruiting young poll workers who’ll shield older poll workers from the virus. Further, the campaign also seeks to promote against voter suppression by using the cultural influence of athletes and artists.
James explained that they’re giving everyone the tools and outlets. He added that this November is important as well as the previous Novembers that’s why people have to continue to learn and educate themselves. He added that knowledge is power and if people don’t have it, it will trickle down from generation to generation. He mentioned that he wants to create mental wealth for the coming generations.
The pandemic has caused many polling locations throughout the country to have worker shortage that’s why More Than a Vote is calling on younger volunteers to step in because the older ones are vulnerable to the virus.
Meanwhile, More Than a Vote is working on transforming sports arenas that were left vacant because of the pandemic and turn them into massive polling areas. The same idea was implemented in Kentucky’s primary elections last June and it was successful.
So far, LeBron James has already worked with the L.A. Dodgers in converting its stadium into a polling station for the general election in November.
