Party at the Polls brings Utah voters together

SALT LAKE CITY — With Election Day approaching, the ACLU of Utah and Ignite! Utah brought music, food and community resources together Friday evening in an effort to encourage more Utahns to participate in the voting process.

The organizations hosted a local Party at the Polls event at the Northwest Community Center, where attendees could visit community resource booths, enjoy free food and music, learn about local resources and drop off their ballots.

The event is part of a nationwide initiative that uses community gatherings, entertainment and food to make voting more accessible and encourage voter participation. Party at the Polls has been running for 10 years.

Allison Griffith, the ACLU's director of community engagement, said the event was designed to create a welcoming environment where people could feel supported.

"We want you to know that the community supports you, so we wanted to bring everybody out together in a space where you could feel that love and encouragement and welcoming feeling," Griffith said.

For Ignite! Utah, reaching younger voters was also a major focus.

Jenessa Jimoh, the organization's executive director, said the group has been working to encourage Generation Z to participate in the voting process.

"The goal is to get everybody out to vote. Ignite! Utah, though, we do focus on Gen Z. So our audience we've been reaching out to Gen Z all day, hoping that they showed up, and we're already seeing a pretty good turnout," Jimoh said.

The event also gave attendees an opportunity to learn more about issues affecting their communities and connect with organizations offering resources.

Mariam Dickerson, a 20-year-old Salt Lake resident and second-time voter, said attending events like this has helped her become more involved in her community.

"I'm a second-time voter. I feel very proud that I've been mobilized. You know, I think it's never too late for anybody, right? Twenty-five or 35, go vote," Dickerson said.

Organizers hope events like Party at the Polls continue bringing people together and encouraging eligible voters to make their voices heard.