Groups form Cedar Rapids voter coalition to boost election numbers

CEDAR RAPIDS — Several Cedar Rapids organizations that serve people of color, women and youth voters are banding together to boost voter registration and turnout in elections for seats across all levels of government.

In an effort to show citizens they have a voice in the political process, the collaboration of seven groups as the Cedar Rapids voter coalition plans to host events to educate voters on the civic process, provide information about candidates and help people access ballots and polling places.

Group members formed the coalition largely in response to changes to state voter law in 2021 that they fear will disenfranchise some people. The GOP-backed law shortened Iowa’s early voting period to 20 days and established a deadline requiring that early ballots returned via mail be received by Election Day.

Organizations involved include the Advocates for Social Justice, League of Women Voters of Linn County, CoeVotes, the local chapters of the League of United Latin American Citizens and NAACP, Indivisible Iowa and Sunrise Movement.

Launching the partnership will be a Black and Brown Election Watch Coalition event from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 16, at CSPS Hall, 1103 Third St. SE, hosted by NAACP and LULAC.

The event will educate people on how to vote and on relevant voter law changes, and then those running locally in the June 7 primary are invited to speak with voters.

Steve Moshier, the chair of NAACP’s political action committee, said representatives of the groups decided they ought to work to address this collectively. Moshier said they worried the voter law changes limiting early and absentee voting made it more restrictive for people to vote depending on their age, gender, disability or other parts of their identity.

There is strength in numbers, Moshier said. The larger the group, the more likely it is those involved could sway an election.

“You can easily be dismissed if you're a small group, a couple of people trying to right a wrong or draw attention to it,” Moshier said. “… Collectively, your voice is a little louder, a little stronger and more committed. It's nice to gain energy from other groups that are focused on a lot of the same things that you are, and I don't think that the people in office are willing to listen to you unless they can count the votes.”

Cindy Garlock, the Cedar Rapids area leader of liberal activist group Indivisible, said the coalition has four priority areas:

The collaboration will help each group leverage its individual strengths to uplift the efforts of the larger group, Garlock said.

For instance, she said Indivisible Iowa focuses on voter registration, but has faced challenges registering voters on college campuses and effectively reaching youth voters. Garlock said it’s more effective to be able to coordinate with CoeVotes, the voter advocacy student group at Coe College, to boost youth voter registration and turnout.

The youth voting bloc of those ages 18 to 24 is considered disenfranchised from and less engaged in the political process.

“We all have a common mission,” Garlock said. “We're all interested in making sure that people understand how to vote and people understand what they need to do in terms of registration, procuring an absentee ballot, helping them understand the issues involved in elections.”

CoeVotes President Max Gorden Mercer said the organization is really pushing the message that, “’Hey, you're an adult now. Welcome to college. Being an adult is voting.’”

CoeVotes is “trying to get civic engagement in all of those aspects, but starting with voter registration, because that's the most important civic engagement that people can do pretty easily,” he said.

Working with the other groups also helps generate excitement to civically engaged and show people various opportunities different organizations offer to get involved, he said.

'Committed to democracy’

The Saturday event is open to everyone, regardless of race, physical ability, gender identity or sexual orientation, Moshier said, because the coalition wants to show “this is what the face of Cedar Rapids looks like.”

“It'll let you know that the election and election process is a function of people committed to democracy and committed to principles of governing, and so it's real important to try to work through that and make that connection,” Moshier said. “ … We want you to listen to us and understand that the votes that you take in office really matter. They do have an impact on us.”

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