Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea has been appointed to lead the National Association of Secretaries of States' Standing Committee on Voter Participation for the 2015-2016 cycle. Gorbea will co-chair the committee with Secretary of State John Merrill of Alabama.
The NASS Voter Participation Committee works to identify state strategies for increasing and enhancing voter participation levels. It provides a national forum for members to share best practices on voter education and outreach and serves as a clearinghouse for information on voter participation and civics education groups.
"As Rhode Island's Chief Elections Officer, I am honored to accept the position of co-chair of the Voter Participation Committee," Gorbea said. "The right to vote is the most important right granted to our citizens. It is the foundation of our democratic process. I look forward to working with Secretary Merrill and the other committee members to engage and empower more voters across Rhode Island and the country."
NASS is the nation's oldest, nonpartisan professional organization for public officials. It fosters sharing of information and cooperation in developing public policy, particularly with respect to elections and voting and state business services.