TULSA, Okla. — Voting and protests are one in the same when it comes to sparking real change. That was part of former president Barack Obama’s message when he addressed the nation once again Wednesday.
“I feel like if we get more people out to vote, things will change,” said Tulsa County resident, Ambriel Ballard. Friday was the 20-year-old’s first time registering to vote.
“People are really, really engaged this political year. Obviously, we’ve had the COVID situation and some of the political climate that’s surrounding the riots,” said Gwen Freeman, the secretary for the Tulsa County Election Board.
The board reports there are three times more Tulsa county residents registered to vote than two years ago for the same primary election.
The value of voting was highlighted at Tulsa's first Black Lives Matter Rally Sunday. The organizer, Tykebrean Cheshier, had a registration booth make an appearance.
As she introduced herself to the crowd, Cheshier yelled, “We have blacks, whites, Native Americans, lesbian, gay, transgenders, we have Christians, we have atheists all together in one place, celebrating and talking about black lives.”
The deadline to register to vote was 5 p.m. Friday.
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