COALITION OF NONPROFIT AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS JOIN TO EDUCATE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON NEW VOTER ID LAWS IN
VIRGINIA

Organizers focus on educating and empowering vulnerable populations to vote this November

(Alexandria, Va., July 17, 2012)—On July 1, Virginia’s new voter ID law went into effect, eliminating the option for voters without an accepted ID to sign a sworn affidavit confirming their identity in order to have their vote fully
counted on election day. Virginia is one of 11 states that have passed new voter ID laws in the past two years that may leave thousands of legitimate votes uncounted this November, according to the Associated Press.

The impact of such laws will be the focus of a voter registration training and voter ID roundtable discussion on July 21, 2012 in Alexandria, Va. being sponsored by the Northern Virginia (NOVA) Coalition and Alfred Street Baptist Church.

“We are very concerned that the changes in Virginia’s voter ID laws will lead to voter disenfranchisement this November, especially among elderly and youth populations, African-Americans, and other
minorities—populations that are more likely not to have a government-issued ID,” says Monica Reid, director of the NOVA Coalition.

NOVA Coalition has mounted a regional campaign entitled “NOVA Votes 2012: Educating and Encouraging the Black Vote,” and is working with over 30 civic organizations across Northern Virginia to hold voter registration drives, phone banks and get-out-the-vote efforts this election season. The voter registration training and voter ID roundtable discussion are being co-sponsored by Alfred Street Baptist Church as part of its “iVote” voter engagement efforts.

“African-American churches have always led the way in civic engagement,” says Rev. Joseph Smith, Assistant to the Pastor at Alfred Street Baptist Church and coordinator of the “iVote” campaign. “Our hope is that, through the iVote initiative, our congregants and community will be
inspired to change the world through prayer, service and civic participation,” Rev. Smith continues.

The voter registration training and roundtable discussion will both take place on Saturday, July 21 at Alfred
Street Baptist Church, located at 301 S. Alfred Street, Alexandria, Va., 22314. The training will be held from 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. and is open to any nonprofit or civic organization seeking to learn voter registration best
practices. The forum and roundtable discussion will be held from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., and will cover the impact of the new voter ID laws on vulnerable populations. Both events are free and open to the public. Attendees are asked to RSVP to Monica Reid at monica.lynette.reid@gmail.com.

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NOVA Coalition is a non-partisan effort created through a grant awarded by the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP) to register, educate and empower voters in Northern Virginia, and to promote policies of interest to the African-American community. The NOVA Coalition is a collaborative of 30+ civic organizations led by the Northern Virginia Urban League and the Virginia
Leadership Institute. For more information, visit: http://www.nvul.org/civicengagement.htm.

Alfred Street Baptist Church is one of the oldest nation’s
oldest and vibrant Baptist churches. Having had only 8 pastors in its 209-year history, Alfred Street Baptist Church is currently led by The Reverend Dr. Howard-John Wesley. For more information, visit: http://www.alfredstreet.org/index.htm.