Nonpartisan organization to station DJs at Dallas polling locations

DJs at the Polls says it has measured a 3% voter increase at polls with a stationed spinner.

Courtesy of DJs at the Poll

Most people get dozens and dozens of automated texts during voting season, especially in states like Texas, which has a highly competitive, highly publicized midterm election. Most of the texts, you probably ignore; some may have even been so dogged that you completely unsubscribed. But in the middle of all the texts from James Talarico asking for your vote, and pro-Ken Paxton PACs talking about “gender mutilation surgeries,” you may have missed a text looking for DJs to pop up at the polls.

DJs at the Polls, a Philadelphia-based nonpartisan nonprofit, has a new approach to increasing voter turnout amongst minority populations: music.

“People riding by who live in the neighborhood are like, ‘Yo, what’s going on? Oh, it’s voting, let me go vote. Also, let me check out the DJ,’” says Anton Moore, a hip-hop radio DJ veteran who started the effort in 2009. “And the best thing about it is that the DJs are like your culture creators. They’re at your barbecues, your baby showers, your family reunions. So everyone knows them. So being able to get them from the neighborhood where people know them, it pulls out [those] demographics.”

Through the organization, 3,000 DJs will be stationed at polling locations across 24 states, with a specific focus on states with voter turnout challenges. The initiative specifically targets states with large “low-propensity” voters, those who are registered to vote, but don’t necessarily vote in every election. This year, states like Texas, Alaska and Iowa made the cut.

THANK YOU!

You’re all set.

But the effort is twofold: not only do DJs attract voters, they also help keep them in line. Within the first few days of early voting, state voter participation this year has already broken records, with 76,000 ballots cast in Dallas County on the first day alone. With droves of people rushing to the polls, lines outside select locations have already reached 45 minutes.

“Just imagine, you know, you had to stand there; there’s no music, but [with] music, you’re dancing,” says Moore. “By the time you cut it up and turn around and “Cupid Shuffle,” you’re already in the line and you’re about to vote.”

There are limited rules for the DJs; they just can’t play anything profane. And it’s a working gig, so the DJs are compensated for their time. About 9,000 DJs applied, so the text-message marketing system, despite all the other noise, is working.

In a highly divisive political atmosphere, Moore is hoping that his initiative can cut through the polarization and engage all voters, no matter what their ballots look like.

“There’s no Democrat, Republican, independent. It’s more so [to] enjoy the music, come on out, exercise your right to vote and get civically engaged,” he says. “ … Music brings people together.”

You can stay updated on local polling places with DJs through the DJs at the Polls Instagram account.

Tags: