CLAYTON, Mo. — Did you recently receive a letter from Tom Lopach about your voter registration? The St. Louis County Board of Elections says that you should not be concerned but they are getting plenty of calls about the mail. An organization with the goal of increasing voter participation sent it.
While the voter registration cards are legitimate, the St. Louis County Election Board says that they are not responsible for sending them. You can turn them in to register to vote.
Who is Tom Lopach and what’s this all about?
The Voter Participation Center is a non-profit, non-partisan organization founded in 2003 to help people register and vote, assisting over 6 million people so far. Tom Lopach became CEO in 2020. The non-profit is trying to increase voter registration, especially among underrepresented groups.
Some election officials wish the mail campaigns would stop because of the flood of calls to their offices. Some are upset that the group is saying local election officials aren’t doing enough.
The Voter Participation Center spent over $100 million on mail and digital notices to boost voter turnout in 2020, significantly aiding President Biden’s campaign. The organization helped 1.6 million people register to vote and 4.5 million apply for mail-in ballots, resulting in an estimated 272,000 additional votes. Targeting younger voters, minorities, and unmarried women, the group played a crucial role in increasing voter turnout, especially during the pandemic, without advocating for specific candidates.
The Voter Participation Center recently sent over 100,000 pieces of mail to encourage voter participation in California’s 20th Congressional District’s Special Election. Kevin McCarthy’s resignation from the U.S. House of Representatives prompted a special election to fill the vacancy. Republican Vince Fong won that race.
Should you turn in the voter registration cards?
The short answer is yes. Although, Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen released a statement, calling the mail campaigns confusing. The state prefers voters to register through their website or the board of registrars. Mississippi released a similar statement, directing people to register through their website or at the county clerk’s office.
The Voter Participation Center responded, saying that any mail you receive from them can be used to register to vote. Voters who are already registered should disregard the messages.
You can always review your voter registration in Missouri on the Secretary of State’s website. They also have resources to check on upcoming elections.
Examples of the mailers from Mississippi:
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