Professional sports teams are getting involved in the upcoming election.
Coinciding with National Voter Registration Day, nine teams across the MLB, NBA, and NFL announced Tuesday the creation of a nonpartisan “Rally the Vote” effort, led by the Sacramento Kings.
The teams, which include the Chicago Bulls and White Sox, the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers, the Milwaukee Bucks, Oakland A’s, and the San Francisco Giants and 49ers—as well as the Kings, are providing fans with a platform to register to vote via the teams’ mobile apps, websites, and social media.
Such a coalition is the first of its kind. It is being powered through a partnership with Democracy Works, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that uses technology to make voting easier. Through the partnership, fans will have access to a customized version of TurboVote, which will allow them to register to vote, file for an absentee ballot, and receive election reminders.
With as many as 87.9 million Americans not registered to vote as of last year, the participating sports teams hope to address this registration gap by reaching out to fans directly.
“If we can make buying a ticket to a sporting event accessible in a few clicks, there is no reason why registering to vote shouldn’t be the same,” explained Vivek Ranadivé, owner and chairman of the Sacramento Kings who spearheaded the effort . “Sports teams have a responsibility to enact positive change in their communities, and I’m proud to see so many of us coming together to help fans register to vote so that they can have a voice in elections.”