PEORIA (25News Now) -The Bloomington-Normal branch of the NAACP hosted a “Mind, Body, Spirit and Community Expo” Saturday, but personal health was not the organization’s only priority.
With the primary election day approaching on Tuesday, March 17, the event at Bloomington’s Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church featured sessions on financial wellness, breast and colon cancer awareness and testimonials from cancer survivors. However, organizers also focused voting rights and voter registration.
“Don’t sit and complain, do something about it!” said Georgene Chissell, who chairs the Political Action Committee for the Bloomington-Normal NAACP. “People think their vote doesn’t count, but it does count. It actually does. Some elections are won by only eight votes!”
Attendees were able to register to vote in person, and NAACP leaders said it’s critical to get people involved in the electoral process, especially since midterm elections typically see low voter turnout in the area.
“A lot of people don’t know we have elections March 17th,” said Chissell. “We’re trying to get people, draw people, and at the same time give them information on voter protection and the SAVE Act.”
Organizers said they intentionally scheduled the event the weekend before the final day of in-person voting to keep election information fresh in people’s minds.
They also wanted to provide health resources for people who may not otherwise have access to those services, noting that many people in the African American community may delay medical care, particularly if they do not have health insurance.
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