As threats to democracy grow and key elections approach, the League of Women Voters of Metro St. Louis is ramping up efforts to engage voters who are often left out of the conversation.

At its recent planning meeting, the League’s Get Out the Vote (GOTV) Committee agreed to focus outreach on two critical groups: youth and people of color. This strategic focus reflects both national trends and local realities, where these voters face disproportionate barriers to participation—and hold tremendous untapped power.

To connect with these communities, the Committee will pursue a multi-pronged approach:

• Radio Outreach: We’ll run targeted ads on stations serving Black, Latino, and other minority communities to raise awareness of registration deadlines, ballot issues, and why every vote matters.
• Social Media Campaigns: Eye-catching, platform-specific content will be used to engage younger audiences where they already are—Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms.
• Postcard Campaigns: Handwritten and printed messages are still powerful. We’ll use postcards to provide voters with personalized information and encouragement to vote.
• Community Partnerships: We’re deepening relationships with local organizations that already serve our focus communities, including:
• The Divine Nine (historically Black fraternities and sororities)
• NAACP
• Churches and faith networks
• Transform314, a North City nonprofit focused on helping residents navigate local government systems
• Tabling at Local Events: League members are being asked to suggest three local organizations where we can set up tables to provide voter registration, education, and election reminders. These face-to-face interactions are key to building trust and visibility in our neighborhoods.

• Community Forums: We’ll host forums on timely topics like:
• Fighting misinformation and disinformation
• How local governments work
• Understanding “ballot candy”
• How votes on issues connect to votes for candidates
• Text Messaging: We’ll continue sending timely, nonpartisan text reminders about upcoming elections, registration deadlines, and voting rights.  This strategy combines tried-and-true grassroots tactics with new tools and partnerships. As always, our goal is simple but urgent: ensure that every eligible voter—especially those who have been ignored, overlooked, or discouraged—has the information and encouragement they need to cast a ballot.

Want to Get Involved?  If you're a League member with connections to community groups that might welcome a voter registration table—or if you’d like to help write postcards, plan a forum, or spread the word online—reach out to the GOTV Committee. Every voice strengthens democracy.