Advocates working to have Valley homeless voices heard in election

PHOENIX — All votes matter, including those from people experiencing homelessness.

As the November election quickly approaches, organizations across the country and in the Valley are doing what they can to ensure everyone gets their right to vote — no matter their circumstances.

Located near 12th Avenue and Jefferson Street, the Human Services Campus is a collaboration of 16 partner organizations with the shared outcome of better addressing homeless through services that work to end homelessness.

That includes helping the homeless register to vote.

“There’s a lot of questions that come up around whether they’re even eligible to vote or not,” Richard Crews, program director of the Human Services Campus, said.

To become a registered voter in Arizona you must be legally qualified, meaning you have to be a U.S. citizen, an Arizona resident, above the age of 18, no felony convictions (unless your rights have been restored) and be able to write your name unless prevented by a disability.

For Arizonans without a permanent home, a residence must be listed as a homeless shelter or temporary place for living like a halfway or transitional house.

Advocates say there are a number of barriers that can keep homeless voters from casting their ballots. That includes disadvantages like not having state-issued identification, no means of transportation, no information about the races and issues on the ballot or discrimination.

“When you have a community that’s been consistently failed by society there’s not just disenfranchisement but there’s also disenchantment in the process,” Crews added.

Crews described working through what he defined as “voter suppression” for the homeless. Their goal is to show people that their vote has an impact – especially at the Human Services Campus in Phoenix.

“It has an impact even in this space because of government funds that are received for programs here,” Crews said. “If you want to make a difference in what this space is or you support the programs that are available to you – you’ve got to vote to keep them in place or vote to change them.”

Working to eliminate voting barriers, the Human Services Campus in Phoenix will provide buses to take their community of voters to the polls on Election Day.

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