THE NEWARK MUSEUM OF ART AND PROJECT READY PARTNER TO REGISTER 2,500 NEWARK VOTERS 

NEWARK, NJ – On National Voter Registration Day, The Newark Museum of Art and Project Ready are announcing the launch of a non-partisan, joint partnership to register, educate, and activate Newark voters in advance of the 2020 General Election.

The campaign will include both online and offline organizing to spread the word about how important it is that Newarkers commit to vote in November’s election. The Newark Museum of Art and Project Ready are partnering to increase voter turnout, which was just 49% in Newark in the 2016 General Election, compared to 68% statewide.

“We know all too well in Newark that communities of color have already been hit disproportionately hard during this pandemic, and we cannot allow it to take away our most precious right to vote,” said Linda C. Harrison, Director and CEO of The Newark Museum of Art, the largest museum in New Jersey. “We are thrilled to work with Project Ready and build upon PLACE (Promoting Legislative and Community Engagement), our new advocacy effort launched this spring to partner with other organizations for causes that benefit all races, genders, and classes in our community.”

“With vote-by-mail ballots already hitting mailboxes in parts of the state, the idea of Election Day is obsolete – this election has already begun,” said Shennell McCloud, Executive Director of Project Ready. “People are understandably confused and sometimes afraid about how to vote during these unprecedented times, so it’s more important than ever that we find safe and effective ways to connect with and educate voters.”

Together, the Newark-based organizations pledge to register 2,500 and commit 10,000 Newarkers to vote.

The organizations will recruit volunteers to conduct phone banks, conduct a social media video-based campaign featuring prominent Newarkers, and hold a virtual 5-day GOTV blitz launching on October 28, 2020.

About The Newark Museum of Art: 

Founded in 1909, The Newark Museum of Art is the largest art and education institution in New Jersey and one of the most influential museums in the United States. Its renowned global art collections, supported by significant holdings of science, technology and natural history, rank 12th among North America’s art museums. The Museum is dedicated to artistic excellence, education and community engagement with an overarching commitment to broadening and diversifying arts participation. As it has for over a century, the Museum responds to the evolving needs and interests of the diverse audiences it serves by providing exhibitions, programming and resources designed to improve and enrich people’s lives.

About Project Ready 

Project Ready is a non-profit social justice organization based in Newark, New Jersey. Our long-term vision is to see a world where no community is left voiceless—a world where parents, guardians, and students in our most vulnerable communities feel heard, informed, and civically educated, and thereby powered to overhaul systems and policies in place that limit educational opportunities.

About National Voter Registration Day 

National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan civic holiday celebrating our democracy. First observed in 2012, it has quickly gained momentum ever since. Nearly 3 million voters have registered to vote on the holiday to date.