Vote.org Builds on “Plan Your Vote” Arts Initiative at Frieze New York with “Banned” Water Bottles Supporting Vote.org’s Litigation Efforts

WASHINGTON – Today, Vote.org, the largest 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan voting registration and get-out-the-vote (GOTV) technology platform in America, re-launched its partnership with international art organization Frieze at its New York City art fair. Vote.org is handing out water bottles marked “BANNED,” to visitors at the event, raising awareness about the Georgia legislation that bans organizations like Vote.org from handing out water to voters waiting in long lines. The legislation was passed after the 2020 election, after Vote.org handed out water bottles and food to voters and community members. Notably, long lines at the polls have been found to disproportionately impact young voters and voters of color. Art is about creative expression and artists taking a stand in favor of voting rights is a key part of the partnership between Vote.org and Frieze.

At the fair, Vote.org representatives will hand out these water bottles alongside a banner with a QR code that directs people to Vote.org’s campaign page, PlanYourVote.org, which has a special, new landing page to explain why Vote.org began challenging states on their voter suppression laws. Since 2020, Vote.org has ramped up its litigation efforts, with pending cases in the states of Georgia, Texas and Florida.

“At Vote.org, we believe in the transformative power of art to educate and energize voters, and the ongoing partnership with Frieze does just that. This week, attendees at Frieze New York will learn about the influx of new voter suppression laws that have passed since 2020 and what we’re doing to fight back,” said Andrea Hailey, CEO of Vote.org. “Our activation at Frieze seeks to highlight the absurdity of banning food and water at the polls, which would not be necessary if voters in Georgia and elsewhere weren’t made to stand in hours-long lines. Vote.org is suing in states as a natural extension of our voter engagement and get-out-the-vote work, because it’s vital to fight for voters in every arena. For two election cycles, Vote.org and Frieze have collaborated on Plan Your Vote and brought together civic engagement and the arts, creating innovative contests and exhibitions to activate voters and keep them engaged in democracy. We’re grateful to Frieze for continuing this important partnership.”

“Our partnership with Vote.org goes from strength to strength and we look forward to our visitors engaging with their urgent mission,” said Christine Messineo, Director of Americas at Frieze. “Social justice is a core tenet of Frieze’s programming across the US, therefore Vote.org’s continued efforts to promote a more equitable democratic system deserve all our support and applause.”

Vote.org has filed lawsuits in Georgia, Texas and Florida challenging each state’s “wet signature” law. In Georgia, absentee ballot applications must be signed with pen and ink. In Texas, the law requires a wet ink signature on voter registration applications. Under Florida’s wet signature rule, voters who have not previously registered with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles must sign their voter registration applications by hand using a pen, as opposed to digital or e-signatures (signatures that are applied electronically).

Each of these laws discourage eligible voters from registering to vote or voting by mail by creating an unnecessary extra step in the process. These laws disproportionately impact underrepresented groups — especially people of color, low-income voters and young people. These laws also mirror discriminatory voting laws that have prevented people of color from accessing the vote for more than a century after the ratification of the 15th Amendment.

In 2020, Plan Your Vote was hailed as the biggest arts initiative in the civic voting sphere since 2008, with over 130 participating organizations and 70 artists engaged throughout the country. Artists, including Michael Stipe, Sanford Biggers, Guerrilla Girls, Julie Mehretu, and Patti Smith, and arts institutions, including LACMA and the Guggenheim were engaged by the Vote.org / Plan Your Vote team to create nonpartisan voting-related artworks and to use their platforms to promote Vote.org’s voter tools and information ahead of the 2020 General Election. Artworks from 2020 can be viewed here. In 2022, Vote.org and Frieze partnered to continue Plan Your Vote with the “Make Your Mark” competition for young artists to submit works promoting civic engagement ahead of the midterm elections.

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ABOUT VOTE.ORG

Vote.org is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan nonprofit using technology to simplify political engagement and increase turnout among young people and voters of color. It is the largest 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan voter registration and get-out-the-vote (GOTV) technology platform in America. Through corporate and nonprofit partnerships, a large-scale community of grassroots donors, diverse coalition building and influencer-driven outreach, Vote.org leverages innovative solutions that meet underserved voters where they engage and get their information, and has established its brand as the most trusted and accessible online resource for registering to vote and understanding how to cast a ballot.

ABOUT FRIEZE

Frieze is the world’s leading platform for modern and contemporary art for scholars, connoisseurs, collectors, and the general public alike. Frieze comprises three magazines – frieze, Frieze Masters Magazine and Frieze Week – and five international art fairs – Frieze London, Frieze Masters, Frieze New York, Frieze Los Angeles and Frieze Seoul. In October 2021, Frieze launched No. 9 Cork Street, a hub for visiting international galleries in the heart of Mayfair, London. Frieze is part of the IMG network.