Monday, June 20, 2011

HeadCount | Register To Vote

My girlfriend recently attended the Bonnaroo Music Festival where an organization called HeadCount was in attendance. I was interested in some of the stories they have posted on the site and their political stance on issues. I myself am not very political but their cause is very interesting.



What HeadCount Does:
We register voters at concerts and make civic participation part of the live music experience. Artists such as Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, Jack Johnson, Kings of Leon, Phish, John Mayer and Wilco have helped us register over 175,000 voters by welcoming us at their concerts, pointing to our tables from stage and appearing in our public service announcement campaigns.

How they do it:
We have a network of 4,000 volunteers across the county, divided into local street teams. Any time one of our 80 affiliated artists plays a concert in a city where we have a team, our volunteers set up a HeadCount table. At those tables, people can register to vote, write a letter to Congress or sign up for educational email lists related to specific issues. We also maintain a website and blog (www.HeadCount.org and www.headcount.org/blog) with information on voting, current events and volunteer opportunities.

Why they do it:
We believe that musicians and their fans have the potential to be the leaders of worldwide social movements. By harnessing this untapped energy and giving fans the tools to be active and informed citizens, we can galvanize the music community into an influential force -  one capable of making a massive contribution to society.

Who is behind it:
HeadCount was founded in 2004 by Marc Brownstein of the popular electronic rock band The Disco Biscuits and Andy Bernstein, author of the Phish fan guide “The Pharmer’s Almanac.” They were quickly joined by a collective of fans, music industry professionals and musicians including Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, who is  on the organization’s board of directors. Today, HeadCount has a small full-time staff, more than 75 volunteers holding leadership positions and 20 board members.

Visit their website for more information:
http://www.headcount.org/

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