A local community organizer is using art and youth to urge residents on Syracuse’s South Side to participate in the November election. Now that New York’s deadline to register to vote has passed, the focus has shifted to getting out the vote. Project Vote Leader Joyce Freeman says many people already vote in local and national elections.
“We are trying to also focus on the people who seldom vote but are registered and they don’t either have a way to get there or just think that maybe their vote doesn’t count. Every vote counts.”
Project Vote is holding different events as a part of its effort of get people to the polls. Syracuse artist Bennie Guzman took some time to help kids create ‘get out the vote’ posters using their own creativity.
“I hope that everybody involved, the people who are on the streets watching, the people who coordinate this, the kids, you as a news reporter can see how we can get a message across and have a conversation that’s important regarding voting, politics and all these kind of really important conversations.” said Guzman.
11-year-old Azory Infinite was painting a poster and shares why it’s so important to him that people who can vote, do.
“You have to recognize it’s not only for you. There’s the kids too so don’t vote for you, just vote for everyone else too. It’s because when you vote it’s not only you it’s everybody else too.” said Infinite.
UAW representative Mike Barbee supports Project Vote to elevate the voices of some.
“There have been areas of this particular city that have been somewhat disenfranchised and they tend to have a voice that is unused. So we’re trying to tap in to those areas that really matter.” said Barbee.
Eight days of early voting start tomorrow. Find information about Onondaga County early-voting locations and hours here.
Tom Honan helped with content for this story.