Wireless Wednesday Exclusive: Emily Dalton Smith of Facebook on Voter Registration

Rick talks to Emily Dalton Smith, Director of Social Impact Product, Facebook.

Every year, millions of Americans find themselves unable to vote because they miss a registration deadline, do not update their registration, or aren’t sure how to register. National Voter Registration Day is a day dedicated to making sure everyone has the opportunity to vote.

· First observed in 2012, National Voter Registration Day has quickly gained momentum ever since.

· Nearly 3 million voters have registered to vote on the holiday to date.

· On Tuesday, September 22, 2020 volunteers and organizations from all over the country will “hit the streets” in a single day of coordinated field, technology and media efforts.

· The holiday has been endorsed by the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED), the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), and the National Association of Election Officials (The Election Center).

Have a listen and watch Rick and Emily!

WEBSITE: FB.com/votinginfocenter

It's a complicated and confusing election due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, so Facebook has launched a widespread voting information campaign into help people navigate this process by connecting them with the latest information about registering and voting. Facebook’s Emily Dalton Smith will discuss how Facebook is joining National Voter Registration Day and providing tools, such as their Voting Information Center which will give millions of people accurate information about voting, including the resources they need to register and vote, vote by mail, vote early, and vote on Election Day.

Facebook is aiming to help more than 4 million people register and vote this year – double the 2 million they helped register in 2016 and again in 2018.

The Voting Information Center is a one-stop shop on Facebook and Instagram where people can get the authoritative information they need to participate in the 2020 elections. It is expected that more than 160 million people in the US will see it through November.

Facebook is continuing their work with state election authorities and other experts to ensure the Voting Information Center accurately reflects the latest information in each state.

Topics:

How Facebook is connecting people to voting information. How Facebook is recognizing National Voter Registration Day. Key things people should know about voting during Covid-19. When and how to check your voter registration. Important details about voting by mail. Poll worker shortages and how people can help. Emily Dalton Smith is the director of Social Impact product. In this role, Emily leads teams that build products, such as Voter Empowerment, Crisis Response, Charitable Giving, Health and Mentorship, that help people come together to support each other in times of need. Previously, she led strategic partnerships for Social Good at Facebook, where her team worked with the world’s leading nonprofits to help raise funds and awareness for their organizations. Prior to joining Facebook, Emily was a senior program officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where she managed investments in personalized learning technologies, and a director and special assistant to the provost at Arizona State University. She sits on the advisory boards of the Adult Literacy X Prize and ThinkCERCA and holds degrees from Arizona State University and the University at Buffalo.