Columbus NAACP Call to Action – Update

Columbus, OH  Monday, December 9, 2019 – The NAACP Columbus Branch issued a community-wide “Call to Action” to request and urge the Franklin County Board of Elections to release funding for a comprehensive Voter Education Program, Public Relations and Media Campaign. The resources, once released, will be used to educate the general community and the African American community specifically beginning with the 2020 Primary Election cycle and eventually the 2020 General Election cycle leading to the 2020 Presidential Election slated for Tuesday, November 3, 2020. 

The NAACP Columbus Branch President, Nana Watson, was joined by representatives from the Columbus Urban League Young Professionals, the Baptist Pastors Conference, the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Columbus, the Baptist Ministers Alliance, the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Columbus Ohio at the Franklin County Board of Elections (BOE). 

The NAACP Columbus Branch is seeking resources via Funding Option 3 for Voter Education and Paid Media initiatives in association with Single Primary & Full General Elections Messaging for Voter Education Programming. The BOE would not release funds for Voter Education messaging for the 2019 General Election cycle. The BOE voted along party lines to NOT release the funding. The NACCP will meet with the OHIO Secretary of State to urge his vote be cast for  the deciding vote for the funding to be released.