Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner will host the National Nonpartisan Conversation on Voter Rights alongside five leading mayors from across the country, including Michael Hancock (Denver, CO), Acquanetta Warren (Fontana, CA), David Holt (Oklahoma City, OK), Regina Romero (Tucson, AZ), and John Giles (Mesa, AZ).

The invitation-only event will take place from September 19-21, 2022, at the Hilton Americas Hotel in Houston.

This convening of invited elected officials, business leaders, community activists, and grassroots organizations will focus on strategies to protect, defend, and promote voter rights and access to the ballot box while equipping local leaders with tools to increase civic engagement in their communities.

The National Nonpartisan Conversation on Voter Rights will begin with opening remarks and a plenary session followed by a news conference.

The two-day conversation will feature prominent speakers and panelists, including Justin Levitt, White House Senior Policy Advisor for Democracy and Voting Rights; Russell “Rusty” Bowers, Arizona House Speaker; Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP; Mayor Greg Fischer of Louisville, Kentucky; Annise Parker, President of Victory Fund and former Houston Mayor; Dexter Maryland, Jr., Texas Southern University Student Government Association President; and many others, to discuss redistricting and gerrymandering; historical disenfranchisement; safe, secure and reliable elections and other topics.

“I am honored to welcome elected leaders, community activists, and other stakeholders to the City of Houston for the National Nonpartisan Conversation on Voter Rights. My fellow mayors are bipartisan champions from across the country, who courageously accepted the invitation to co-host this convening focused on voter education and access, especially among some of our nation’s most disenfranchised the disability, LGBTQ+, and Black and Brown communities,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “In Texas, the legislature has passed some of the most restrictive partisan legislation in the nation, making it harder for some individuals to exercise their right to vote. However, this nonpartisan conversation seeks to empower and equip local elected officials and all people with the tools to defend the cornerstone of democracy -- the right to vote.”

*See full schedule of events at Schedule-At-A-Glance - National Nonpartisan Conversation on Voter Rights (nncvr.com)

About the National Nonpartisan Conversation on Voter Rights

In October 2021, Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot served as co-chairs of the National Nonpartisan Conversation on Voter Rights (NNCVR).

At this convening, attendees of the NNCVR helped develop a list of 63 actions municipal leaders can implement, which were incorporated into the “Democracies Thrive When Cities Vote” playbook. This year, the conversation will focus on implementing the strategies introduced in the playbook while addressing challenges of access and fair elections due to restrictive partisan legislation.

Additional Resources:

Democracies Thrive When Cities Vote: Playbook for Nonpartisan Voter Engagement (.pdf)