Updates

The NFL family kicks off the third season of NFL Votes, a league-wide, non-partisan initiative that supports and encourages civic engagement among NFL players and Legends, club and league personnel, and fans. The joint effort between the NFL and the NFL Players Association was founded in August 2020 and focuses on three key components of the electoral process: voter education, voter registration, and voter activation.

All 32 NFL clubs and players throughout the league support this initiative and will engage in various efforts to highlight the importance of voting and to encourage fans to become informed and effective voters. With the upcoming midterm elections, NFL Votes will emphasize that our democracy is not a spectator sport and that everyone who is eligible should make their voice heard in the elections taking place in all 50 states.

This year, voters will elect all 435 U.S. House members, about one-third of the U.S. Senate, governors in 36 states, and numerous local and state officials — all of whom help to shape the priorities and direction of the country.

"Since its inception in 2020, NFL Votes has used its platform to help promote and encourage active participation in our country's democratic process and one of our most fundamental rights: voting," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "We are proud of this league-wide, non-partisan initiative that will continue through the upcoming midterm elections and beyond to educate, register and activate voters nationwide alongside our non-partisan partners in the civic engagement space."

All 30 NFL stadiums are available for election-related activities if needed by local election officials. In 2020, such activities included early voting, drop-off, or Election Day polling sites.

Starting Week 2, during the run up to National Voter Registration Day on September 20, NFL Votes will launch a campaign to drive awareness and promote registration across the NFL and beyond. The campaign will continue through National Voter Education Week starting October 4 and culminate on November 8 — Election Day.

This season, the NFL announced the addition of Vet the Vote as a new, non-partisan partner. Vet the Vote is a coalition of nearly 30 veteran and military service organizations and civic groups, which aims to address a national shortage of poll workers by recruiting and training military veterans and their families to help our elections run effectively. Vet the Vote joins I am a voter., Rock the Vote, and RISE, who have been partners of the league and clubs since 2020 in helping with education, registration and activation phases of NFL Votes across the country.

During the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, fans will be able to register to vote at an NFL Votes booth inside Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Veterans and military family members can sign up to volunteer and train as non-partisan poll workers at booths staffed by representatives from Rock the Vote and Vet the Vote.  

NFL Votes has made the below progress since its inception in 2020:

• Every NFL player, Legend, and club and league employee has received comprehensive voter education and access to voter information and support.
• Approximately 90 percent of active players are registered to vote. In 2020, several clubs reported that 100 percent of their players were registered.
• Half of the clubs used stadiums or facilities as early voting, ballot drop-off, or Election Day polling sites. More than 66,000 voters cast ballots at NFL sites.
• All 32 clubs united to promote the initiative, which reached more than 160 million people.

I am a voter.® is a non-partisan movement that aims to create a cultural shift around voting and civic engagement by unifying around a central truth: our democracy works best when we all participate.

RISE is a national non-profit that uses sport as a vehicle for social justice. Through our RISE to Vote program, we engage athletes, coaches and staff at all levels, educating them on how to vote and why it matters. We equip them with the tools and knowledge to get involved, make a difference and inspire their fans to be civically active.

Rock the Vote is a non-partisan non-profit dedicated to building the political power of young people. For 30 years, Rock the Vote has revolutionized the way we use pop culture, music, art, and technology to engage young people in politics and build our collective power.

Vet the Vote is a pro-democracy, non-profit and non-partisan national campaign to recruit 100,000 veterans and military family members to become the next generation of poll workers. As many as 130,000 poll workers have left their positions over the last five years, and poll worker shortage has led to longer wait times for voters, and even some polling sites shutting down.