Overview of NEOCH Get Out the Vote Activities

Ken Payton who oversees the Cleveland Street Chronicle normally, was in charge of the Get Out the Vote campaign.  He worked on the weekends and did everything possible to get people to vote.  We have to thank Pastor Freddie Thomas Sr. of Living Faith Pentecostal Church for letting us borrow the church van to take homeless to the polls.  Ken had to put up with some unruly folks who just wanted a ride to the polls, but for the most part there was gratitude.  We heard over and over that people said, "I wouldn't have voted if you had not given me a ride."  Ken drove people who it was their first vote ever, and a few who had not voted for eight years.  

•  36 people driven on Election Day to their precinct to vote.  
• 1,546 registered in the shelters between June to October 11, 2016.
• 199 registered by Ken Payton at NEOCH.
• Early voting rides given to 48 individuals.

We wish that we could have worked closer with Souls to the Polls, but it just never panned out since they were focused on the two weekends.   Ken went to every shelter and nearly many subsidized buildings locally.  We also need to recognize EDEN and Frontline Services who had their staff coordinate rides or walking over the polling place for their residents to vote.  We also saw Famicos Foundation driving their residents over to the polling place.  Ken did all that he could to get homeless people to vote and we owe him a big thanks. 

Brian Davis

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