ACRONYM’s new program is aiming to register and mobilize more than 100,000 young and minority voters in Arizona, Texas, Georgia, and Florida. | Mike Stewart/ AP File Photo 2020 Elections Progressive group launches $10 million online voter registration drive

Citing an urgent need for young people and minorities to vote at higher rates in Southern states where Democrats are coveting wins in 2020, the progressive group ACRONYM is launching a $10 million online drive to register voters in the South.

ACRONYM’s new program — which is being tested in Virginia’s down-ballot elections — will target Arizona, Texas, Georgia and Florida. The group is aiming to register and mobilize more than 100,000 young and minority voters online, reaching them via Snapchat, Instagram and other digital platforms.


“When you look at young people, when you look at people of color, they are spending a disproportionate amount of time online,” said Tatenda Musapatike, senior director of campaigns at ACRONYM, who is leading the effort. “It’s key that we are reaching people where they are. Young people spend more time on Instagram.”

In addition to registering voters, ACRONYM will try to use peer pressure to encourage people to vote by launching a tool called “Formation” that allows people to easily look up friends’ voter registration data, which is publicly available information.

ACRONYM is not the only organization focusing on voting in Southern states. Former Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum is working to register and mobilize voters in his home state this election cycle, and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams said Tuesday she will focus on a voting rights during the 2020 cycle via a new organization as well. Both Gillum and Abrams narrowly lost election bids in 2018.

