East Hampton, NY - October 23, 2018 - The People Votes and The Andrew Goodman Foundation invite college students to compete in the “Democracy Heroes Get Out the Vote Social Media Contest.” Entries will be non-partisan and shareable social media content (gifs, memes, or video) to encourage young people who don’t yet plan to vote, to get to the polls on November 6th. Four winners will each receive $500 and their content will be spread to those who need to see it using targeted, paid distribution.
Participants are automatically entered by sharing their content on social media channels and tagging @thepeoplevotes and @andrewgoodmanF and using the hashtag #DemocracyHeroes2018. The contest is for people who like to make and share stuff on social media; want to help get other college students to the polls this November; and want to win $500 cash. For additional details and complete rules, please visit the contest website.
Mara Gerstein, Executive Director of The People Votes said, “An engaged electorate is central to our democracy. It's a big problem when only 26% of people under 29 plan to vote in the midterms. Our contest will harness the recent spike in enthusiasm of students to reach the remaining 74%. This is done by getting young people to tell each other how, when, where and why to vote."
Winning content will be distributed to 18 to 24 year olds in New York’s 1st Congressional District inviting them to sign up for The Andrew Goodman Foundation’s Viola Voter text buddy program by texting “NY01” to 555-888.
The People Votes
The People Votes is an educational initiative aimed at mobilizing disenfranchised Americans to vote by making and distributing digital media that helps potential voters understand why and how to vote. The People Votes is non-partisan. Our goal is to increase civic engagement generally, and voting in particular, by amplifying the voices of voters and sharing their passion and wisdom with non-voters. We also address the challenges faced in the quest to vote, including logistics, local voting requirements, and advance planning. Founders of The People Votes include Emmy and Academy Award winners, and veterans of eBay, Goldman Sachs, MTV Networks, Sapient, and Atlantic Media.
The Andrew Goodman Foundation
The Andrew Goodman Foundation was created in 1966 by Robert and Carolyn Goodman to carry on the spirit and the purpose of their son Andrew’s life. Today, our work harnesses the legacy of courageous civic action to grow new leaders of change: young adults bitten by the spirit of activism (like Andy). Its campus coalitions spread a culture of participatory democracy, promoting the right to vote while incubating a new civic-minded generation. The Andrew Goodman Foundation supports youth leadership development, voting accessibility, and social justice initiatives on campuses across the country with mini-grants to select institutions of higher learning and other financial assistance to students. Its vision is that young people will become active, engaged citizens who ensure a just democracy and sustainable future.
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