JACKSONVILLE, Ark — Voting is a process that can be overwhelming for many people and with another election cycle here, the Jacksonville NAACP has been working hard to make sure there's a good turnout.
"Every effort that we have, we put towards educating. Because I will tell you that a voter that's not educated is worse than a nonvoter," said Reginald Ford, the Vice President of the Jacksonville NAACP.
Ford explained that as a non-partisan organization, their focus has been for members of the community to get to know their candidates, learn the language of the ballot, and most importantly they want to stress the importance and value of what the word " vote " means.
"Voting or not voting is a disservice to the sacrifice that has been made for us to vote. You have to look at Medgar Evers, you have to look at Rosa Parks, you have to look at Daisy Bates and you have to ask yourself, are you honoring their sacrifice?" Ford explained.
He also explained that while the NAACP works with all races, they've been focusing on communities that are underserved when it comes to voting.
"Our emphasis is the Black community, but we have our Latino brothers and sisters that don't vote at the proper rate. That's why we take the opportunity to try to educate everybody," Ford added.
He said elections like this are crucial, and they're more than just about voting for a new president— it's the local vote that matters most.
"The primary [is] just as important, and that's something that I think is missing in the community. The knowledge of the election process and the implications of your voting or not voting or your lack of participation, or you are missing primaries, specifically," Ford said.
Early voting in Arkansas starts on February 20, 2024, and the NAACP will provide rides to registered voters at the polls.