League of women voters works to reduce voting barriers

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - As the primaries approach, voting organizations are working to make sure anyone who wants to vote, can.

The League of Women Voters has groups in Springfield, Peoria, Bloomington, and Champaign. They host events and offer several non-partisan, online resources.

Keri Tate, the president of the Springfield section of the League of Women Voters is working to make sure people understand how much of a privilege it is to vote.

“It’s really critical for us to remember that for some people this is not as engrained in them. Men, white men in particular have had the vote for 246 years. Women have only had it for 102 years... many, many Black women didn’t the vote till the last 65 years,” Tate said.

To try to eliminate voting barriers, The League of Women Voters provides election day assistance. They have volunteers at the polls to help people register and they monitor their Facebook page so people can use it to ask questions.

Tate says this is part of their mission to ensure everyone is able to vote.

“There should be no barriers to voting... voting is critical, it is our voice in America,” Tate said.