Mega Doctor News
By Roberto Hugo González / Texas Border Business
EDINBURG, Texas — The Advocacy Alliance Center of Texas, or AACT Now, launched its Rally the Vote initiative Thursday, bringing together community organizations and regional leaders to expand access to nonpartisan voter information across the Rio Grande Valley.
The Oct. 1 event at Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg focused on increasing civic participation through organizations and individuals in Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr and Willacy counties. AACT Now described the initiative as nonpartisan and said it does not support a political party or candidate.
Roberto Haddad, an AACT Now board member, said the organization is concerned about lower voter participation in the Valley compared with the rest of Texas. He said the region deserves a stronger voice when decisions affecting residents are made in Austin and Washington.
“Our issues are not less important,” Haddad said. “Our voice deserves to be as loud as those of other regions of Texas.”
Haddad said AACT Now’s purpose is not to promote a party or candidate. “It’s nonpartisan,” he said. “It’s not about a political party. It’s not about a candidate.”
A central part of the campaign is Touch 10, an outreach effort that asks participants to contact 10 people within their personal or professional networks and share voter information with them.
“All you have to do is ask 10 people — your friends, your colleagues, your family — just 10,” Haddad said. “Ask them to go vote. Follow up with them.”
Haddad said the organization is working with community groups, businesses, schools and individuals to extend the campaign through existing networks. He said more than 50 organizations and hundreds of individuals had already signed up to participate.
Norma Flores Ruiz said AACT Now provides the election information and resources so participating organizations and individuals do not have to become election experts or engage in political discussions.
“We are not asking everyone to become election experts or to have political conversations,” Flores Ruiz said. “AACT provides the information and resources.”
The initiative comes days before Texas’ Oct. 5 voter registration deadline for the Nov. 3 election. Early voting by personal appearance begins Oct. 19 and continues through Oct. 30. The deadline for an early voting clerk to receive an application for a ballot by mail is Oct. 23.
Speakers also connected voting participation to decisions affecting schools, roads, businesses and daily life. Participants were encouraged to provide election information to relatives, friends, colleagues and other members of their communities.
Flores Ruiz said AACT Now also wants to continue expanding its network of partnerships and invited organizations interested in the initiative to work with the group.
Haddad said the objective is to increase participation throughout the region through individual contacts and community organizations.
“We want the Rio Grande Valley to have a voice, a strong voice,” Haddad said.
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