(ARLINGTON, Va.) — With the final day of the 2016 campaign season at hand, Co-ops Vote, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) voter engagement campaign, is reminding co-op members across the country to head to the polls tomorrow and make the voice of America’s electric co-ops heard on Election Day.
“For months, hundreds of co-ops have rallied their members with a simple message – get out, vote and be heard,” said NRECA CEO Jim Matheson. “Political leaders at every level of government need to understand what’s important to rural America. They also need to know that we will hold them accountable for their actions. The best way to send that message is by showing up at the polls and voting. ”
Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative (WREC) has been one of the most active participants in Co-ops Vote. The Dade City, Fla.-based co-op established its headquarters and district offices as certified voter registration locations and signed people up to vote.
“At Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative we are actively engaging our membership through grassroots communications on the issues impacting their cooperative, and we are proud to have registered hundreds of voters through the Co-ops Vote campaign,” said Billy Brown, WREC’s executive vice president and general manager. “Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy, and it’s important for our voices to be heard.”
Since its launch in February, Co-ops Vote has reached millions of Americans through its social media engagement and produced several thousand pledges to “Become a Co-op Voter” and vote with the interests of communities served by co-ops in mind. More than 700 electric co-ops in 47 states are participating in the campaign, 110 of which have achieved “5-star status,” the highest level of engagement under the program.
While the November 8 elections mark the end of this campaign cycle, Co-ops Vote will remain active as it continues to reach out to co-op members about the importance of participating in elections at all levels of government.
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association is the national service organization that represents the nation’s more than 900 private, not-for-profit, consumer-owned electric cooperatives, which provide service to 42 million people in 47 states.
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