Bernalillo County hosted the second annual National Voter Registration Day event in Civic Plaza on Tuesday afternoon.
Members of the community were invited to register to vote or update their voter registration.
In 2012, on the fourth Tuesday of September, National Voter Registration Day became a national holiday. The day is meant to spread awareness on the importance of voting.
Bernalillo County Clerk Linda Stover said she and people from the county made a group effort to move forward to host the event.
“The thing that is really important today is for people to realize the importance of registering to vote, you don’t have your voice heard until you’re registered to vote, and you actually cast a ballot,” Stover said.
In recognition of this event at Civic Plaza, a mobile voting unit was on display to allow voters to get an inside look before it hits the streets this election season. Stover said the mobile unit will drive to early voting locations all over Bernalillo County starting Oct. 20 and will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. said Stover.
“(The unit will be in) a different place every day for 13 days, it’s open to the public, so if you see it in your neighborhood stop and vote,” Stover said.
She said there are many ways to get involved in registering people to vote — you can work during the elections or go out on your own to register people to vote.
“If you’re a student, you can be a student election clerk and get to work in the election,” Stover said.
Among the people in attendance was Steve Meyers who works for the county.
“Voting is our right given to us by the Constitution, it continues the freedom of America and allows us to have a voice,” Meyers said.
A listing of locations for the mobile voting unit and voter registration information can be found on the Bernalillo County website.
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The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 9.
Alyssa Bitsie is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted by email at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @albitsie.
