Initiative Continues to Focus On Driving Voter Education, Registration And Turnout
September 6, 2022 – Hornets Sports & Entertainment (HSE) today announced their continued efforts surrounding the organization’s voting initiative, “Swarm the Polls,” in advance of the upcoming 2022 elections on November 8. Initially launched in September 2020 as part of the organization’s Social Justice Platform, the campaign aims to educate the public about the importance of voting, inform people on how to vote, drive voter registration and encourage voter turnout.
The Swarm the Polls hub, hornets.com/go-vote, contains a variety of information and resources for voters in both North and South Carolina, including links to register to vote, check registration status, find polling places, request absentee ballots and more. Additional promotion will take place on the websites and social media outlets of each of HSE’s entities – the Hornets, Spectrum Center, the Greensboro Swarm and Hornets Venom GT.
“Our goal through the Swarm the Polls initiative is to ensure that as many people as possible across the Carolinas have the ability to participate in the electoral process and make their voices heard,” said Hornets Sports & Entertainment President & Vice Chairman Fred Whitfield. “We’re proud to do our part to help drive voter registration, access and turnout, especially within the area’s most vulnerable communities, which typically have the lowest voter turnout.”
From today through November 5, the Barings Book Bus will be out in communities across the Carolinas delivering information, educating and helping individuals register to vote. Visit the Swarm the Polls website to see the full Barings Book Bus schedule. In addition, representatives of You Can Vote will be located on Spectrum Center’s main concourse during all Hornets preseason home games and regular-season home games through Election Day, as well as the October 7 preseason contest at the Greensboro Coliseum, to promote voting and registration.
On Monday, November 7, when the Hornets host the Washington Wizards on the night before Election Day, the game will be themed as Swarm the Polls Night. The Hornets will join the NBA and the rest of its teams in a new league wide initiative designed to encourage voting. All 30 teams are scheduled to play that night and will use their collective platforms to share messaging and resources from voting organizations and highlight civic engagement efforts.