Voter Registration Drive Held
The Einstein-Montefiore Action Group (E-M Action Group), with support from employee relations and Einstein’s 1199 SEIU, organized a voter registration drive to assist members of the Einstein community who needed to register to vote, or to update their voter registration ahead of the midterm elections taking place on Tuesday, November 6, 2018.
Members of the Einstein community update their voter registration and verify their registration status at the E-M Action Group’s voter registration drive
Seats in the United States Senate and Congress are being contested, along with a number of competitive races at the state level.
“We wanted to be sure that all members of the Einstein community who are eligible had the opportunity to register so that they can participate in the elections,” said Shanisha Gordon-Mitchell, research technician and an 1199 delegate who helped coordinate the registration drive.
On dates during August, September, and October, volunteers from the E-M Action Group—including students, staff, 1199 delegates, and faculty—-sat at a table in the Forchheimer lobby, offering tablets borrowed from the library, with websites for verifying one’s registration status, and forms for completing registration. The deadline for registering to vote on November 6 was mid-October for most states.
According to PBS News Hour, just 36.4 percent of eligible voters actually went to the polls in 2014, the last midterm election.
Thanks to the voter registration drive, several dozen Einstein community members added their names to the voter rolls and/or confirmed their voting status, assuring that they’ll be able to have their voices heard on Election Day. They ranged from students and young staffers to longtime faculty members
“Voting allows us to choose the representatives who we believe will do things that matter to us and for our democracy to thrive,” said Dr. Alberto Pereda, a professor of neuroscience who was among the registration drive volunteers.
On Tuesday, November 6, voting places in New York are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; in Connecticut and New Jersey, it is 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Employees should consult with their supervisor regarding any changes to their work schedule on this day.
Editor’s Note: At the time of this story’s posting, several Einstein student groups announced that they are hosting a “Meet-up-and-walk-to-the-polls-together” event on Tuesday, November 6. At 8:15 a.m. and again at noon, interested students, staff, faculty, and family members voting at the local polling place can meet at the Einstein Café along Main Street. Bagels and pizza will be provided, respectively, along with good company for the walk to the polls. The student groups include Einstein’s chapters of the AMA, AMWA, SNaHP, AIRE, SPHERE, MSFC, SMNA, LMSA, APAMSA, Social and Family Medicine Interest Group, WC4BL, and HOPE.
Posted on: Friday, November 02, 2018