PRESS RELEASE Inaugural Civics Con will highlight Oklahoma engagement on May 29

click to enlarge PRESS RELEASE Inaugural Civics Con will highlight Oklahoma engagement on May 29
Gazette / file
Let's Fix This executive director Andy Moore
Civics Con, a virtual convention about civics, voting and elections, will be held on Friday, May 29, 2020, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., hosted by a collective of Oklahoma-based organizations. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic this inaugural event will be live-streamed, featuring experts from across the country, discussing the issues facing our local communities and democracy at-large in a simple, conversational way. Civics Con is free with registration, and open to the public.

Civics Con is presented by Let's Fix This, in partnership with Generation Citizen, Oklahoma Humanities and the League of Women Voters of Oklahoma County. The event will follow a panel discussion format, featuring speakers representing national, grassroots and local organizations, and emphasize the importance of connecting with neighbors, mobilizing shared ideals and normalizing civic curiosity.

“We’ve been dreaming of hosting a civics convention for several years and we’re excited to host this important conversation live from Oklahoma City,” Let’s Fix This Executive Director Andy Moore said. “While so many parts of life feel uncertain right now, one thing we know for sure is that people are looking for ways to help their communities and neighbors, and that’s where Civics Con can empower people from the comfort of their home.”

The sessions are composed around a theme of civic engagement and include topics such as absentee voting, open primaries, ranked choice voting, running for office, and government transparency. Youth engagement will also be a focus throughout the day and as a standalone session.

“A strong democracy depends on political participation, but young people continue to turn away from politics,” said Generation Citizen Oklahoma Executive Director Amy Curran. “Especially with schools closed, the perspectives of young people are strikingly underrepresented. Civics Con is ensuring a rich conversation by including students to share their authentic view of how their lives are impacted by these important issues and how civic systems are and are not responding to needs.”

The goal of Civics Con is to bring Oklahoma into the democracy reform discussion, leveraging the action by local voices and joining in partnership with national experts to encourage active citizens.

Moore said, "Oklahoma has one of the lowest rates of voter turnout in the country, and we often hear that voters are checked out because they feel something about our democracy is broken. We want to fix that."

For more information and to register for the convention, please visit https://www.civicscon.com.

  • or