Dear John,

This month we celebrated International Youth Day, so we’re shining a spotlight on some of t he barriers young voters face when they want to vote.

Many young voters are exercising their right to vote for the first time, which means they may not know if they need an ID to vote. They also might not have access to the necessary documents to get their ID, or the funds to pay for one.

Take Juni — an 18-year-old eligible voter who had applied for a state ID several times. But because he didn’t have a permanent address, it was extremely difficult to get a photo ID, which he needed to vote in Texas.

READ JUNI'S STORY >> [link removed]

“I applied for an ID a couple of different times,” Juni explained. “But, being homeless for as long as I was, I didn’t have anywhere to send it to. I bounced around from so many different places and when they sent it out, it would get lost or just wouldn’t show up.”

Fortunately for Juni, this all changed after he met VoteRiders’ Houston Regional Director Jessica Hulett at a youth resources fair hosted by The Beacon Homeless Services. Juni spoke to Jessica about his situation and was assured that VoteRiders could not only help him get the ID he needed but would also cover the cost and provide transportation via our partners at Lyft to and from the ID-issuing office.

Juni’s ID journey became a race against the clock when he was invited for a job interview that was scheduled right after his appointment at the DMV. Now that he had found a way to get an ID, it became a matter of whether or not he would get it in time. Juni knew it was cutting it close and the DMV was notorious for being extremely slow at processing ID documentation.

Thankfully, Jessica stepped in to ensure the process was as fast as possible. She made sure Juni brought the right underlying documents to prove his identity including his birth certificate and Social Security card and helped him complete the necessary paperwork. Time was still of the essence, so Jessica arranged a free ride via Lyft to drop Juni off at the DMV on time and bring him safely back home afterward.

In no time at all, Juni received the Texas state ID he needed for his interview.

“Jessica really did me a solid and I appreciate it more than she could ever understand,” Juni said. “I feel like she could tell that I was panicking a little bit because we had so many complications but she was so patient with me and she was just so great the entire time.”

With his very first government-issued state ID, Juni expressed that he finally felt like a real adult. This small piece of plastic meant he could secure stable housing and earn an income and of course, vote!
If you or any young people in your life need help getting an ID to vote — or to secure housing, health care, employment, or more — VoteRiders is here to help! Start by visiting our Help Center, or call or text 866-ID-2-VOTE (866-432-8683) to get help.

HELP CENTER >> [link removed]

In solidarity,

Erin Carden
Digital Communications Coordinator
VoteRiders

ALL GIFTS MATCHED >> [link removed]

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