Four groups have come together to form a coalition with the goal of getting more voters to the polls in north Omaha.
The North Omaha Voter Coalition formed after the May 14th election. It's an effort of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, NAACP, North Omaha Neighborhood Alliance, and North Omaha Voter Participation Project.
Preston Love Jr., president of the Voter Participation Project, says the mission is to increase participation after a 13 percent turnout in the primary and 23 percent turnout in the May 14th general election in north Omaha.
"There was a need for north Omaha to do some long-term, comprehensive, blue-collar planning to get our community to understand the relationship of what's at stake when we vote. We don't vote, we don't have leverage to go downtown and fight our battles. We don't vote, we're not participating in getting people who are working in our best interest in or out, and so forth."
Love says the Coalition's goals are to educate voters, develop candidates for future elections, and reach out to young people so they understand the importance of voting.
The North Omaha Voter Coalition plans to hold a town hall meeting July 16th at Loves Jazz and Art Center, in hopes of starting a community discussion on issues.