Group Aims to Boost Black Voter Turnout in North Carolina

Eastern North Carolina’s voter turnout could be the deciding factor in the presidential election. The group All Americans Vote is registering thousands of first-time voters in the area.

As Election Day approaches and North Carolina is shaping up to be a key battleground, public attention has turned to the state.

Besides the presidency, North Carolinians will also vote for their governor, attorney general, local representation, and more. A special focus is being put on amplifying the state’s Black electorate.

All Americans Vote (AAV), founded by Tamer Mokhtar, aims to boost turnout among minority and young voters, specifically Black voters in 17 eastern counties.

AAV’s efforts include door-to-door canvassing, phone and text registration checks, and event sweepstakes. With a $2 million investment, they hope to bring in roughly 26,000 new votes — enough to sway key elections in a state where margins can be narrow.

Surprisingly, many eastern North Carolina residents contacted by AAV claim it’s their first time being approached about voting.

The uniqueness and significance of this initiative

Unlike many election initiatives, AAV invests in long-term community engagement rather than temporary campaign pushes. Starting in January, they have maintained a consistent presence in these communities, building trust and familiarity.

This early groundwork enables AAV’s team to effectively encourage registered voters to actually cast their votes.

Turn Up, Turn Out!

AAV’s Turn Up, Turn Out (TUTO) initiative seeks to enhance Black and Brown voter turnout through registration checks. They have conducted 12,451 checks and registered 3,517 individuals via sweepstakes at events like the Dreamville concert, with 40% of participants hailing from North Carolina.

Participants could enter through social media or email for a chance to win prizes, including concert tickets, thereby incentivizing voter registration checks.

The end game

Mokhtar underscores AAV’s commitment to guiding voters from registration all the way to the polling center. Their goal is to continually evolve the TUTO program post-election, given its current success.

“In terms of single-event, Black voter registration, I’ve not seen anything comparable in modern history,” said Mokhtar. “We had over 5,000 participants at the Roots Picnic in Philadelphia, 3,000 at the Broccoli City Festival, and around 14,000 for the ongoing Usher campaign.”