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A nationwide drive to encourage young people to register and vote has planned a concert and get-out-the-vote event at Simpson College.
HeadCount Presents: The Future is Voting Tour will begin at 8 p.m. on Oct. 16 in the Principal Black Box Theatre in the Kent Campus Center.
Six locations throughout the country were chosen because they represent electoral “swing districts.” Simpson is the only site chosen in Iowa, and will represent the smallest college of the tour.
“The John C. Culver Public Policy Center is excited to partner with HeadCount to present the event, which will combine musical entertainment with a non-partisan town hall format featuring candidates for office, issue education, and student leaders and Simpson College alumni who work to boost college student voter registration and turnout,” said Seth Andersen, director of the Culver Public Policy Center.
The tour stop at Simpson College will feature live acoustic performances by Jim James of My Morning Jacket and Benjamin Booker.
“The importance of getting involved at this moment in time cannot be overstated,” James said. “This isn’t only a Get Out The Vote concert. This is a learning moment aimed at college students to motivate them to vote, regardless of where they fall on the political spectrum. Each stop on the tour purposefully takes place in a contested electoral district or state for this important midterm election, where students and young voters have the ability to dramatically affect the outcome of this tremendous moment in history. Please join special surprise guests and myself at these events with the goal of truly inspiring thought, discourse and participation.”
Other tour stops include Austin, Texas; San Marcos, Texas (Texas State University); Milwaukee, Wis. (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee); Athens, Ga.; and Urbana, Ill. National touring acts including Made of Oak (Nick Sanborn of Sylvan Esso) will be featured at other tour stops.
Admission is free for the Simpson event, but will be limited to students holding a valid college or high school ID. Reserve your ticket at: https://app.tikly.co/thefutureisvoting
The Future is Voting Tour seeks to inspire and inform students about the power of their vote leading up to the 2018 midterm elections and beyond. For more information about the national tour, visit: www.headcount.org
For more information on the October 16 tour stop at Simpson College, please contact: Seth Andersen, director, Culver Public Policy Center – seth.andersen@simpson.edu / 515-961-1354