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Play for the vote
A nationwide campaign recruit musicians to perform outside polls.
ATLANTA - Elections officials anticipate record voter turnout on November 3, but some people won’t be there to vote.
Mike Block launched the “Play for the Vote” campaign. It’s a nationwide initiative to make the voting experience more pleasurable for people standing in potentially long lines.
He has spent the last few weeks recruiting musicians around the country to sign up and perform outside poll locations on Election Day.
“Election day is looking like it’s going to be a pretty stressful experience, not just for political reasons but for health reasons,” says Block. The Boston-based musician says he got the idea on the morning after the first Presidential Debate.
He says after hearing about some of the stress associated with the debate and the election overall, he wanted to do something to help make voting a positive experience.
“Within the first week, we already had musicians from 32 states and the District of Columbia,” says Block.
In Atlanta, Christopher King signed up for the campaign. The Saxophone player says. “We’re in the middle of a pandemic, but we know how important it is to vote.”
King says that he plans to play some classic 90’s songs, hymns, and other favorites. “Some songs may minister to you differently than to me, but it still leaves a positive impact at the end of the day,” he says.
With high stakes in this election, experts anticipate record voter turnout on November 3rd. Block says, “The potential for people to wait in lines is real… We’re hoping it’s really in those moments, where a concert is happening within earshot, that will make all the difference in the world to kind of keep people engaged in the process and feel like it’s worth staying.”
“Regardless of whoever you vote for, we still should love one another, and just celebrate,” says King. “This is probably one of the most important elections we’ve ever had.”
Three hundred musicians have signed up nationwide so far. Anyone interested in participating, just go to PlayForTheVote.com.