Fayetteville group puts spotlight on National Voter Registration Day

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Cumberland County Democratic Men's Club hosted a celebration Tuesday afternoon in Fayetteville to put a spotlight on the importance of voting.

The event was held in commemoration of National Voter Registration Day. "We thought we would celebrate the day by having speakers and organizations assemble just to recognize the importance of voting and voter rights and voter registration here in the country," said Rodney Anderson, a chairman of the club.

The event was held in the lot across from the First Baptist Church on Moore Street. The Power The Vote organization was on site to help people register. Organizers say they're pushing to get Fayetteville's most vulnerable residents the support they need to make their voices heard at the ballot box.

Curtis Brown, the president of the Cumberland County Democratic Men's Club said that even though the group sponsored the event, it's not a partisan effort. He hopes that people of all political identities will come out and exercise their rights to vote. "When you look at the population of Fayetteville and you look at the last election results and the turnout, it was extremely low. So we figured this in a small way could assist in improving the next election and the elections in the future," Brown said.

Others said the event was held out of a sense of obligation. "We stand on the shoulders of others that died for us to have the right to vote," said Sharon Journignan, the president of the Fayetteville Cumberland County Ministerial Council.

"So to me, it's a civic duty for us to come vote. I mean, people marched. They had dogs put on them and all kinds of things. And so to me, voting is so vital." Journignan said there are an array of issues drawing her to the polls this election season. "We need better pay for teachers. We need better social workers. We need better jobs. Women's rights," she said. "All of these things come with the vote. And it doesn't just start with the presidential vote, it starts locally."