A coalition of women’s groups will hold a news conference and a nonpartisan “Women Vote Early” rally Saturday (July 23) to encourage women to vote in the Aug. 4 elections.
Women Vote Early is led by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. (NCBW), Memphis Chapter, League of Women Voters of Memphis and Shelby County, Memphis Area Women’s Council, Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church Women’s Ministry, SisterReach, The Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis, Tennessee Nursing Association, Wundher and Women United of the United Way of Greater Memphis.
The event starts at 11 a.m. at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, 70 South Bellevue at Jefferson.
Early voting already has begun in Shelby County and runs through July 30. The long ballot includes the county general election, political party primaries for state and federal offices, and a Memphis referendum that, if approved, would allow the mayor and City Council members to serve three consecutive four-year terms.
Event speakers include NCBW-Memphis Chapter President Katrina Thompson; Women’s Council Executive Director Deborah Clubb; League of Women Voters Peg Watkins; Women’s Foundation President Ruby Bright; Wundher founder Lori Spicer Robertson; Christie Taylor of SisterReach, and Women United leader TaJuan Stout Mitchell.
Women are about 60 percent of Shelby County’s voters and have led steadfastly in voter turnout here and nationally, especially in the recent 2020 elections, according to a coalition news release.
The release continued, “Research by the Rutgers University Center for American Women and Politics says four out of 10 women do not make their voices heard by casting a ballot.
“This non-partisan “Women Vote Early” campaign wants to change this thought process by encouraging all women regardless of race, culture …”
