The Equity Alliance Releases Nashville Voters Guide

NASHVILLE, TN — Tennessee ranks 50th in voter turnout and 40th in voter registration. In Davidson County, communities of color live in precincts with the lowest voter turnout. Determined to flip these statistics, The Equity Alliancewas founded in 2017 to increase minority voter participation and civic engagement. Today, after registering more than 230 new votersover the last month, the nonprofit releases its inaugural Nashville Voter Guide for the entire Nashville community.

The Nashville Voter Guide is a comprehensive, free, and nonpartisan public resource for Nashville voters to make an informed decision in the voting booth on Election Day. The guide includes unbiased candidate profiles, roles of each elected office, polling locations and hours, voter ID requirements, transit referendum information and much more. The guide is available for download at www.nashvillevoterguide.com

“We are so excited about bringing this vital community resource and educational tool to Davidson County voters,” said Charlane Oliver, board president and founder of The Equity Alliance. “We are delighted to work with our community partners to ensure this public resource gets into the hands of those who need it most. We’ve spent a lot of time registering people to vote, and now we want to make sure those voters are equipped with knowledge to make informed decision in the voting booth.”

 In addition to the May 1 election guide, The Equity Alliance has plans to produce a voter guide for the August 2 and November 6 elections.

One of the biggest hurdles to voter turnout is a lack of awareness of upcoming elections and access to available information on the candidates,” said Oliver. “We have talked with many constituents who say they don’t know who to vote for. Right now, the stakes are too high in our city for us to simply rely on a D or an R behind someone’s name and check a box. With this guide, we’re putting the power back into the people’s hands.”

Additionally, the guide is part of The Equity Alliance’s larger civic engagement initiative called Souls to the Polls, in which the organization is partnering with the Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship, or IMF, to visit several local churches to register voters and increase black voter turnout. The Nashville Voter Guide will be distributed to several predominantly African-American churches, businesses, and nonprofits to reach thousands more eligible voters.

As the capstone to Souls to the Polls, The Equity Alliance will host a Get Out The Vote Block Party and Rally during the early voting period. The event will take place from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 14 at Hartman Park Community Center, located at 2801 Tucker Road near the Bordeaux Library precinct. The event will include
children’s activities, such asinflatables and face painting, musical performances, step show and more. Shuttle buses will take attendees to vote at the Bordeaux Library precinct and food will be sponsored by Seema Prasad, owner of Miel Restaurant.

Established in January 2017, The Equity Alliance proactively advocates for communities of color to have a fair and just opportunity at realizing the American dream. As a Nashville-based, nonpartisan, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, The Equity Alliance equips citizens with tools and strategies to engage in the civic process and empower them to take action on issues affecting their daily lives. Our work is achieved through four areas: Voter Registration, Voter Education, Voter Restoration, and Voting Rights. Learn more at www.theequityalliance.org or follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram