At a team meeting over the weekend, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and safety Tyrann Mathieu spoke to their teammates about the importance of voter registration.
Through his own recent experience, Mahomes recounted how important it is to follow through.
“Over this offseason — with everything happening — I wanted to make sure I was registered to vote,” he told his fellow Chiefs. “I did everything the right way. I made sure to fill out everything — fill out all the paperwork exactly how it said — and went and mailed it in. Then yesterday — before this meeting — I went and looked to make sure I was registered to vote. I looked, and it said I wasn’t registered; they cancelled it and didn’t tell me.
“So that just shows that if I wasn’t having this meeting, I would have never noticed that I wasn’t registered to vote. It’s something that we believe — that as leaders of the community that we are — that we all should be registered to vote. So we partnered with Rise To Vote to make sure that we — as leaders of this community — can get registered.”
Mathieu said that his own perspective about voting has changed over time.
“For a while, I felt like our vote didn’t count — especially being a young Black man in America. Whether it’s your opinion or not — if it matters or not — I’ve grown to realize that we all chip in. We all can put our hand in the pile and really make it better. When we speak up, it means something. So I just urge everybody to sit down, take a step back and realize that this is a situation that’s much bigger than everybody in this room. I think we all got a part to play. I’m looking forward to seeing everybody play that part — in trying to make society a better place.”
According to official United States Census statistics, just 49% of voting-age persons cast votes in America’s midterm elections two years ago. During the presidential election four years ago, that figure was only 56%.
American representative democracy depends on the voices of all its citizens. But you can’t vote if you aren’t registered!
“I think what’s important there is that you can make a difference,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters on Sunday. “That’s what those guys understand — locally, nationally, they can make a difference. So, they’re going with that. As a team, the guys feel that’s an important thing. They’ve all jumped in — and are working to register and go forward.”
But despite their wealth and fame, the voices of professional sports figures count the same of yours. So along with Mahomes, Mathieu and Reid, we urge you to get registered — and cast your vote on Tuesday, November 3.
The Rise To Vote web site has tools to help you get started. You can also go directly to the source: the Secretary of State in the state where you live.
- Missouri Secretary of State voter registration
- Kansas Secretary of State voter registration
- Nebraska Secretary of State voter registration
- Iowa Secretary of State voter regsitration
- Oklahoma Secretary of State voter registration
- Arkansas Secretary of State voter registration
- Find voting information for other states
We’ll see in you in the polling place this November!