Raising our representation in the Legislature: African-Americans tackling voter turnout attend Maricopa County Recorder's Office training
Sitting in a room with about 20 other African-Americans, Roy Tatem, Jr., thought about what voting and electing a state Legislature that reflects Arizona's diverse communities would mean to people whose concerns have long been ignored.
Tatem, president of the East Valley NAACP, participated in a 2-hour training session hosted by the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office on Saturday.
The effort is aimed at growing the number of deputy registrars to help boost voter registration. Currently, there are 1.2 million unregistered voters in Arizona, according to the county recorder's office.
The "Deputy Registrar Training With African American Roundtable" prepared more than 20 participants to register eligible voters, while facilitating a conversation about the value of voting, especially in minority and marginalized communities that have historically seen low voter turnout.
African-Americans make up 1 percent of Arizona's Legislature, according to a 2015 National Conference of State Legislatures report comparing demographics among states.
“Africans make up 5 to 6 percent of Arizona’s population, but we don’t have 5 to 6 percent representation in any Arizona city council, the state Legislature, or most of our elected positions,” Tatem said.
Participants in Saturday's training included pastors, African-American fraternity and sorority chapters, NAACP members and Arizona State University youth outreach teams.
Similar training sessions have been hosted with Pascua Yaqui Tribe members, groups that advocate for people with disabilities and at numerous Valley public libraries.
'We are trying to help people feel connected again'
Christine Dyster, a Maricopa County Recorder's Office community relations leader, said the training events have been ongoing since 2017, producing more than 300 trained deputy registrars.
“It’s not a mystery that there is a mistrust in elections,” Dyster said. “We are trying to help people feel connected again to their election department.”
Deputy registrars are volunteers who represent the county recorder's office and once trained and certified may register people to vote. To qualify for the certification, people must be U.S. citizens, 18 or older and an Arizona resident.
The next training is at Ability 360, a organization that advocates for empowering people with disabilities.
On Saturday, people were guided through rules and regulations in the registration process. After the training, attendees took a test and participated in role-playing exercises imitating possible situations at a voting booth.
Sakeena Young-Scaggs, a local pastor at ASU, said elections are often close, meaning every voter and each vote counts.
“Numbers still matter," Young-Scaggs said of voter turnout.
Upcoming training sessions: https://www.facebook.com/pg/AdrianFontesMCR/events/
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