Editing:2020.08.17 GOTV 5 conventions

August 17, 2020 (New York, NY) -- This week, the Democratic Party will formally nominate former Vice President Joe Biden to run for president this November; next week, the Republican Party will re-nominate President Donald Trump to do the same.

With the nation’s attention on the upcoming election in November, now is the time to check your voter registration using our free tool, learn how to vote by mail in your state if you choose to do so, and join our team of sevadaars committed to getting out the Sikh vote!

Nominations for president take place at each party’s national convention, which are normally large events hosted in major cities. Originally, the Democratic and Republican conventions were set to take place in Milwaukee, WI, and Charlotte, NC, respectively; due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, they will now largely be held virtually. The conventions give both parties a chance to outline their policy priorities and feature a wide range of candidates, elected officials, and other guests as speakers.

“These conventions are an important moment for all Americans to participate in the political conversation and make sure we are ready to vote on November 3,” said Nikki Singh, Sikh Coalition Policy and Advocacy Manager. “We are hopeful that representatives of both parties will speak to a wide range of issues over the next two weeks--including the vital questions on civil rights that we raised in our 2020 policy priorities document.”

Each candidate will give their nomination acceptance speeches at the end of each convention: Vice President Biden will speak on Thursday, August 20, and President Trump is scheduled to speak on Thursday, August 27. The conventions will be available to view online, on most major TV networks, and via many social media platforms. You can learn more about the Democratic convention here and the Republican convention here.

Through November 3, the Sikh Coalition will continue working to provide information pertaining to voting and civic engagement. We are still recruiting sevadaars to help with voter registration efforts across the country; in just one month, we already have 55 volunteers across 19 states! Please keep checking our website for new information, and reach out to gotv@sikhcoalition.org with any questions. We will continue adjusting our organizing plans and guidelines around the COVID-19 pandemic in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and other public health officials.

As always, the Sikh Coalition urges you to practice your faith fearlessly.

Note: The Sikh Coalition is a non-partisan, non-profit organization. All Get Out The Vote (GOTV) work is being done in support of broader Sikh American civic engagement, and not for the benefit of any candidate, elected official, or political party.

[GOTV] National Party Conventions Start This Week!