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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Arnold Rodriguez
BGTX Team Edinburg Core Team Member
bgtx.edinburg@gmail.com
915-241-7531

EDINBURG, Texas In the spirit of Texas pride, Battleground Texas Team Edinburg
volunteers extend an unprecedented open invitation for a bipartisan effort to register Rio Grande
Valley voters. We must register and we must turn out. BGTX Team Edinburg, a local
Democratic grassroots volunteer team, invites any and all volunteers to join them.

Who: Any interested member of the public with valid Hidalgo County Volunteer Deputy
Registrar Certification

What: September Hidalgo County Voter Registration Drive Kickoff

When: Tuesday, September 23, 2014 at 7 p.m.

Where: Cubby Hole, 1927 S. Tourist Drive in Edinburg, Texas

Why: National Voter Registration Day is the most appropriate date to launch this campaign
and make clear the duties of all participating Volunteer Deputy Registrars.

BGTX Team Edinburg will host a party with free food to engage prospective voters in a festive
atmosphere celebrating one of our greatest tools of democracy our vote. Over the following
seven days BGTX Team Edinburg pledges to register as many voters as possible, keeping track
of how many residents are registered through the efforts of this campaign. Volunteer Deputy
Registrars who wish to participate must bring their valid certification to this event in order to
sign up and participate.

All Texans, whether red or blue, want progress. For this reason, and many others, registering
voters is a serious responsibility. As the Rio Grande Valleys predominantly Hispanic population
continues to grow, it becomes even clearer why our region must utilize its crucial right to vote: It
gives us a voice.

We believe it serves the publics interest to raise the profile of voter registration with a drive
that includes all Texans regardless of political affiliation. After all, being friendly is the Texas
way. Its in our name that came from East Texas Native Americans long ago and its in our
nature. In Texas, were used to doing things our own way and rolling up our sleeves to do the
hard work. As Texan volunteers, despite different our ideas, were investing in being actively
engaged in shaping a better future for our beloved state. We want you to join us!

Voter registration facts:

Only two out of every 10 Valley residents vote.
1


Texas is home to nearly one in five of all U.S. Hispanics, but just 39 percent of Texas
Hispanics eligible to vote cast a ballot in the 2012 presidential election. Thats compared with 48
percent of eligible U.S. Hispanics, 61 percent of eligible white Texans and 64 percent of eligible
white Americans.
2


In 2010, Texas ranked 51st in voter turnout, 42nd in voter registration, 49th in the number of
citizens who contact public officials and 44th in the number of people who discuss politics a few
times a week or more.
3


Hispanic Texans and immigrants are significantly less likely to participate in almost every form
of civic engagement, highlighting the importance of efforts to more fully involve these groups in
the state's civic life.
4


Please RSVP by calling 915-241-7531 or emailing bgtx.edinburg@gmail.com. Interested
media organizations should also RSVP.


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1
http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=1013065#.Uydgo_FdWSo
2
http://www.texastribune.org/2014/02/26/hispanic-voters/
3
http://www.utexas.edu/news/2013/06/04/texas-ranks-among-lowest-in-nation-for-political-
participation-and-civic-involvement/
4
http://www.utexas.edu/news/2013/06/04/texas-ranks-among-lowest-in-nation-for-political-
participation-and-civic-involvement/

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