Today, Stand with Bandcamp to Protect Voting Rights for All

voting-rights-blogpost

In just seven weeks, the United States will hold its midterm elections—a vitally important moment that will determine whether the country stays on its current path, or renews its commitment to democracy.

As a community built around the idea of empowering and amplifying individual voices, Bandcamp is doing two things to bolster the democratic process in this historically consequential election.

Voter Registration

First, we’re encouraging U.S. visitors to Bandcamp to register to vote, and helping them do that on our site. The unfortunate fact is that most people don’t vote in midterm elections: only 17% of young people voted in the 2014 midterms, and 40% of eligible voters overall. Turnout for the 2016 presidential election was not much better, with the predictable result being a government that reflects the values and priorities of the very few. We can change this, but only if more of us vote. You can register or find your polling place here.

A Fundraiser to Protect Voting Rights

More immediately, we want to help protect the right to vote itself, which is increasingly under attack by elected officials who seek to stay in power by undemocratically and illegally disenfranchising minorities, young people, and the poor. According to a recent study, 20 states have passed new, restrictive voting laws since 2010, which include arbitrary cutoff dates for early voters, unnecessary burdens on the voter registration process, and a tightening of voter ID requirements. Now more than ever, we need to make sure that every person who wants to exercise their right to vote can do so easily, without hassle, anxiety, or obstruction.

And so today (from midnight to midnight Pacific Time), for any purchase you make on Bandcamp, we will donate 100% of our share of the proceeds towards the Voting Rights Project, a program led by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law to advance and protect the right to vote and ensure that right is afforded equally to all.

To participate as a fan, simply purchase music through Bandcamp and we’ll donate our share of the sale to the Voting Rights Project. To participate as an artist or label, send some or all of your share of today’s sales directly to the Voting Rights Project here, and let us know your plan in the comments below so that we can help spread the word.

And of course, if you are a U.S. citizen, register to vote and get out to the polls on November 6th—it’s not hyperbole to say that our future depends on it.

105 thoughts on “Today, Stand with Bandcamp to Protect Voting Rights for All

  1. I love this!!! I remember you did something similar a few months or a year ago. Can you create a list of all artist-proceed participants that have commented by Thursday night? (I think there was a similar one during your last fundraiser)

  2. I’ll donate 100% of proceeds to this cause as well – https://chrispolcyn.bandcamp.com

    Thanks for doing this!

  3. Thank you, I live in Alabama, one of the states that has made it harder to register to Vote, I moved here from Vancouver, in 2015, and took me 4 months to get all of the necessary documents to register,

  4. YES!!! The trickery fix is in & we have to stay on top of this during every election time. Thank you BANDCAMP for using your platform to offer this vital voting information & donating to such a great cause.

  5. Teen Dreams Tapes will proudly join bandcamp in donating all proceeds on Friday to the Voting Rights Project.
    Cheers to bandcamp and all participating labels/artists for helping protect voting rights in the US!

  6. Perhaps Bandcamp could have an option for artists to donate all proceeds from sales directly taken by Bandcamp? An opt in Tab or such like? It can be used in future for other good causes as well.

  7. Absolutely Fantastic. Both This Isn’t just a Cult and The Halcyon Brothers will donate our proceeds from Friday’s sales to the cause. We will also start spreading the word via our social media platforms. Thank you Bandcamp. You Rock!

  8. Although we are Australia based, Copperfield Records will gladly donate 100% of any sales this Friday, for our artists Benny and The Jets (Hey rock and Roll) and Rachel Nadine. What is currently happening in the USA is really effecting the entire world and change must be made and made as soon as possible. Good luck with the project.

  9. American Laundromat Records fully supports this initiative and will join Bandcamp in donating 100% of our share of the proceeds to the Voting Rights Project this Friday.

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