Voting is critical to ensuring a healthy, safe, and empowered future for us, our families, and our communities, but challenges to the voting process posed by the COVID-19 global pandemic, along with pre-existing systemic and historical barriers to the voting booth for communities of color, have made YWCA's collective commitment to civic engagement even more critical this election year.As one of the oldest and largest women’s organizations in the country, YWCA is especially committed to doing our part to make sure women get to the polls and that women's experiences and needs are valued, represented, and made a priority to those we elect to public office."The most important thing we can all do is to make sure you and your friends and family are registered to vote. Be sure to double-check your registration, and develop a plan for voting well in advance of the election – whether that be voting by mail, voting early, or showing up to the polls on Nov. 3 This is your voice, your vote, your future," said Sarah Wolf-Knight, grants and advocacy manager.Together, we can help build political power in our communities and make sure women get to the polls.

• Use this easy tool to check your voter registration or register to vote
• Find your polling place
• Request your absentee ballot
• Pledge to vote

Share these Get Out the Vote tools and resources with everyone you know digitally, through social media, text, or email and use the hashtag #YWomenVote to amplify your efforts.You can also support and help women, especially women of color, get to the polls in person this year.

• Write to  your neighbors to share the tools above
• Join phone or text banking efforts
• Print and post voting resources in well-frequented places like your local library, laundromats, or grocery stores.
• Check out YWCA’s 2020 GOTV toolkit for more ideas.