Bishop William J. Barber II, convener of the Poor People’s Campaign and senior lecturer of Repairers of the Breach, will host a get-out-the-vote rally on Oct. 22 at 4:00 pm at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 20 Oak St.
The goal is to get the people who didn’t vote in 2020 to turn out for the 2022 midterm elections.
The numbers don’t lie, and they show that poor and low-wage low wealth people have the power to change North Carolina’s political landscape.
About 3.4 million poor and low-income people in North Carolina are eligible to vote with 2.2 million voting in the 2020 presidential election, according to the study titled “Waking the Sleeping Giant: Low-Income Voters and the 2020 Elections.” released in October 2021 by the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival.
This shows that while 60% of them voted, more than one-third did not, meaning it’s imperative to get these non-voters to the polls. In addition, 2 million North Carolina workers make less than $15 an hour — that’s almost 50% of the state’s workforce. And 1 million people are uninsured.
“Any candidate regardless of party who ignores poor and low-wage, low-wealth voters is engaged in a strategy that is morally indefensible, constitutionally inconsistent, politically inept and economically insane,” Barber said “They are the constituency with the power to elect candidates who care most about ensuring living wages, health care for all, women’s reproductive rights and voting rights.”
The rally will take place at the church, but also will be broadcast to an overflow crowd and livestreamed.
To RSVP, click bit.ly/votedistrict11.