Civic Engagement

2008 Get out the Vote Activities

The NOVA Coalition mobilized around various nonpartisan “Get Out the Vote” efforts in the communities of Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, and Prince William County. The Coalition registered PBS and ABC Australia.  

Dispelling the Myths

Our Community is often plagued by erroneous myths that discourage voters from being educated about the election process. We provided Unity ’08 NOVA Coalition Voter Empowerment Cards on voting in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Restore the Vote 2009

The NOVA Coalition actively engages in restoring voting rights for formerly convicted persons in Virginia. Virginia and Kentucky are the only two states in which voting rights are not restored after completing one’s sentence, unless formerly convicted persons go through an onerous process through the Governor. There are 300,000 disenfranchised in Virginia, and African-American men are disproportionately affected.

On June 11, 2009 the NOVA Coalition hosted a community forum on voter restoration featuring Adisa Muse, ACLU; Delegate Charniele Herring (VA-46th); Doug Syphax (formerly convicted person); and the forum was moderated by Melanie Campbell, President of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation. The Coalition continues to lead efforts in the Commonwealth to restore voting rights.

On December 26, 2009 Lavern Chatman wrote a letter on the importance of restoring voting rights in the Washington Post.

In May 2010, Governor Bob McDonnell announced that formerly convicted persons of non violent felonies would have to wait for two years, instead of three years, to have their rights restored.

Black Youth Vote
The Coalition is actively works to encourage the youth vote. For more information on this initiative, please contact Michelle Ridgley at mridgley@novacoalition.org.

• Northern Virginia Urban League www.nvul.org
• Virginia Leadership Institute www.virginialead.org
• Alfred Street Baptist Church, Alexandria http://www.alfredstreet.org
• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
• Lambda Kappa Omega, Fairfax County http://www.aka-lko.org
• Omicron Chi Omega, Woodbridge http://omicronchiomega-aka.com/
• Zeta Chi Omega, Arlington/Alexandria/Fairfax County http://www.aka-zco.org/
• Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
• Xi Alpha Lambda, Prince William County/Southern Fairfax County http://apaxal.com/
• Zeta Upsilon Lambda, Fairfax County www.zul1906.org
• Bethlehem Baptist Church, Alexandria http://www.bethlehemofalexandria.org/
• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
• Fairfax County Alumnae, Reston/Herndon/Western Fairfax County www.fcacdst.org
• Loudoun County Alumnae
• Northern Virginia Alumnae, Arlington/Alexandria/Fairfax County http://www.dstnovac.org/
• Prince William County Alumnae http://www.pwcacdst.org/home.htm
• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
• Alexandria-Fairfax Alumni http://www.afkapsi.com/
• Woodbridge Alumni http://www.wac-kapsi.org
• Macedonia Baptist Church, Arlington http://www.macedoniabaptistchurch.ws/
• Mount Zion Baptist Church, Arlington http://www.mountzionbaptist.com
• National Council of Negro Women, Northern Virginia Section http://www.ncnw.org
• National Pan-Hellenic Council of Northern Virginia http://novanphc.managedcompany.net/
• NAACP Alexandria Branch http://www.naacpalexandriava.org
• Northern Virginia Continentals
• Northern Virginia Pan-Hellenic Council http://novanphc.managedcompany.net/
• Northern Virginia Urban League Guild www.nvul.org
• Northern Virginia Urban League Young Professionals Network http://www.nvulypn.org/
• Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Psi Alpha Alpha/Fairfax County http://www.ques-psiaa.org/
• Russell Temple CME Church, Alexandria http://www.russelltemple.org/
• Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Beta Nu Boulè
• Shiloh Baptist Church, Alexandria www.shiloh-bc.org
• Top Ladies of Distinction of Alexandria
• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
• Nu Xi Zeta, Alexandria www.nuxizeta.org
• Omicron Theta Zeta, Fairfax County
• Phi Upsilon Zeta, Loudoun County

Membership

If your organization would like to join the coalition, please contact Nancy Barbour at nfbarbour@novacoalition.org.

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