On the heels of LeBron James-founded coalition More Than A Vote securing Dodger Stadium and a handful of other sports facilities for polling sites come November, another similar organization has emerged.
The Election Super Centers Project announced it has booked seven additional facilities. A joint effort of the National Vote at Home Institute, a voting rights group, and marketing agency the Silver Linings Group, the project is intended to increase the number of voting and registration sites for the election and provide enough space at them to implement COVID-19-related precautions.
The project centers on matching arenas and teams with local election officials to plan to open for early voting, hold September voter registration drives, and serve as super centers — which is a location that handles a large number of voters from across one jurisdiction and where anyone can vote regardless of their usual assigned location.
The following locations will be made available:
- Bankers Life Fieldhouse, home to the Indiana Pacers
- Staples Center, home to the Los Angeles Clippers
- Fiserv Forum, home to the Milwaukee Bucks
- Capital One Arena, home to the Washington Wizards and Capitals
- Heinz Field, home to the Pittsburgh Steelers
- Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox
- Prudential Center, home to the New Jersey Devils
The Golden State Warriors are also reportedly in talks to offer up their brand new arena.
Organizers hope to expand the project to include up to 25 teams and arenas, and are working with more than a dozen teams. College partnerships could also be on the horizon, as the group is working with ANC CEO George Linardos, a division of Learfield IMG College. Talks with large venues outside sports are in beginning stages as well.
The Election Super Centers Project is being advised by a group of election experts, including Jared Dearing, executive director of the Kentucky state board of elections, as Kentucky drew praise for its success with super centers during its primaries. The initiative is additionally partnering with groups like Rock the Vote and Voto Latino.
Celebrities including singer John Legend and Clippers head coach Doc Rivers have also joined the effort.
