Northeast Conference Announces #NECVotes Registration & Educational Initiatives 9/3/2020 Click Here For PDF Release Somerset, NJ -- It’s been said that Democracy is not a spectator sport. With that in mind, the Northeast Conference (NEC) and its student-athletes, coaches and administrators plan to stand up, take action and rise to the challenge this coming election season. NEC Commissioner Noreen Morris today announced a series of conference-wide initiatives to increase voter registration and election day turnout, while educating NEC student-athletes on the importance of the electoral process and exercising one’s civic duty. The #NECVotes campaign will play out in real time over the next two months leading up to Election Day on November 3. “In 2016, less than half of 18-24 year olds nationwide took advantage of their right to vote in the general election alone,” said Morris. “This is caused in part by barriers to voting such as scheduling conflicts, lack of education on how to vote and questions regarding candidates, ballots and polls. With a goal of increasing turnout among NEC student-athletes and college-aged adults, these initiatives address each of these barriers. It’s my hope we can help instill lifelong voting habits and encourage greater civic engagement among those we reach with this program.” The #NECVotes campaign is being launched two months after the NEC Council of Presidents designated Election Day as a mandatory day off from required athletic obligations for NEC student-athletes. Set to roll out on conference social media platforms under the NEC Champions For Change banner, #NECVotes will include the following content: Informational posts on when, where and how to vote in person, via absentee ballot or by mail in states that fall within the NEC footprint Links to voter resources for all 50 states #NECVotes Instagram and Facebook stickers Zoom interviews with past and present student-athletes engaged in voter registration efforts Reminders for important dates including voting registration deadlines and debate days An NEC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) video answering the question “Why does voting matter?” Tools and educational resources developed by nonpartisan organizations to answer questions on candidates, ballots and polls A conference-wide competition in collaboration with NEC SAAC to promote student-athlete registration ?About The Northeast Conference Beginning its 40th anniversary season, the Northeast Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of 10 institutions of higher learning located throughout seven states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to a number of the largest markets in the United States - New York (#1), Boston (#9), Baltimore (#26), Hartford/New Haven (#33) and Providence (#53). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 24 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 16 different NCAA Championships. NEC member institutions include Bryant, Central Connecticut, Fairleigh Dickinson, LIU, Merrimack, Mount St. Mary’s, Sacred Heart, St. Francis Brooklyn, Saint Francis U and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league’s official website (www.northeastconference.org) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat, all @NECsports.