Voter Registration Drive
Posted 06/20/11

For the 2010 primary and general elections, West End Friends ran a voter registration drive and a get-out-the vote operation as one of its projects.  WEF did not endorse candidates or parties. Rather, it encouraged all residents to participate, and provided materials over a four-month period to acquaint residents with the existing registration and voting procedures.

This drive concentrated on new buildings and those in which there is traditionally a large turnover of residents from year to year.

The table below shows how voter registration has grown in the West End (Ward 2, Precinct 4):

Because of the overwhelming number of Democratic registrations in the District, most elections are determined in the primary election.  WEF concentrated on turnout for the 2010 primary, when the mayor, council chair, and at-large council members were elected. Here's how the turnout compared for the two most recent mayoral election years, 2006 and 2010. The figures are for actual turnout at the polling place, which was the West End Branch Library in both elections:

This represented a 71 per cent increase in turnout in 2010 compared to 2006. West End residents were much more active.

West End Friends voter registration and turnout drive included paper flyers delivered to residential buildings, and specific paper and electronic messages for new buildings and those with high turnover.

WEF continues to encourage all residents of the West End to register, vote, and take an active part in the civic life of the neighborhood.

See the map of Ward 2, Precinct 4.

See how to register to vote. This link connects to the website of the District's Board of Elections and Ethics.