Voter registration drive targeting immigrants to be held in Gainesville

ATLANTA - A number of groups will be registering voters around the state this weekend, with the deadline to register for the November elections just around the corner. <br /> <br /> Events are planned in the Metro Atlanta and outlying areas such as Athens and Gainesville ahead of Monday's deadline. Canvassers, who will be focusing on immigrants, will also make sure would-be voters know about the early voting options in each county. <br /> <br /> "The Latino vote continues to grow every day. Our efforts make sure that all eligible Latinos who want to exercise their right to vote this election cycle will do so. Latinos can be a deciding margin in these elections, but first we must register, then turn out to vote," said Jerry Gonzalez, Executive Director of GALEO (the Georgia Association of Elected Officials).<br /> <br /> Eligible voters are also being encouraged to register online at www.GALEO.org if they have a Georgia driver's license or a Georgia ID. <br /> <br /> "It is critical that Georgians have access to the polls and registering to vote is the first step in that process. Once registered, voters must make voting a priority," added Tamieka Atkins, Atlanta Chapter Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance.<br /> <br /> Following the October 6 registration deadline, these groups will turn their focus to getting voters out to the polls, a critical step that almost 1.2 million Georgians do not make each election. <br /> <br /> Groups involved in this weekend's voter registration drive include: Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Atlanta (former Asian American Legal Advocacy Center), Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO), Georgia Equality, Georgia Stand-Up, and the National Domestic Workers Alliance Atlanta Chapter.<br /> <br /> In Gainesville, GALEO will be at Iglesia Cielos Abiertos, 1216 Aviation Blvd., Sunday 10:00-1:00.