The New York Disability Vote Network

  • A
  • A
  • A

Jessica Thurber

The New York Disability Vote Network

My name is Jessica Thurber and I am thrilled have joined the Center for Disability Rights (CDR) team as a Voter Rights Coordinator. I am responsible for the New York Disability Vote Network (NYDVN) project.

What is the NYDVN project? I am glad you asked! It is a two-year project in which there are two parts:

1. To develop and maintain a database of voters with disabilities, and 2. To build a coalition of organizations to further support and promote NYDVN’s mission. The ultimate goal is to make the disability population a legitimate and powerful voting bloc in the state of New York. The more powerful we are as a voting bloc, the more likely our representatives will listen to us on disability-related issues.

  1. Database

    A critical step to creating a powerful disability voting bloc is to generate a large database of voters with disabilities. In doing so, CDR will be able to coordinate “Get Out the Vote” efforts and keep registered voters updated on important voting information via email blasts (e-blasts) and social media channels (Facebook, Twitter).

  2. Coalition

    Secondly, by developing a strong, solid network of organizations dedicated to bettering the lives of people everywhere, both with and without disabilities, we can reach out to voters with disabilities not already in the CDR network. In addition to that, organizations within the NYDVN network can engage in resources and information-sharing.

Join the movement

There are several ways you can join the NYDVN movement:

  1. Register to vote.

    Find out how to register to vote at: www.elections.ny.gov/votingregister.html

  2. Join the NYDVN database.

    If you are a voter with a disability and would like to join the database, email me atjthurber@cdrnys.org. Please be sure to include “NYDVN Database” in the subject line. You will be added to a mailing list that will keep you updated on important voting information and efforts.

  3. Volunteer.

    Email me at jthurber@cdrnys.org to be added to the interested volunteers list. The NYDVN project is expected to officially launch in Fall 2013. Once everything is up and running, I will get in touch with you and let you know how you can contribute to the project.

I look forward to hearing from you!