Published 10:42 IST, August 14th 2020
LeBron James set to make iconic Dodgers Stadium in LA as 2020 Election Polling site
Lakers star LeBron James is working with the LA Dodgers to convert their iconic home ground into an official polling site for the 2020 Presidential Elections.
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Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is working with Major League Baseball side LA Dodgers to convert the Dodgers Stadium into an official polling site for the 2020 US Presidential Elections. The LeBron James-led More Than a Vote group is working towards inspiring African-Americans to register their votes during the November 2020 elections.
2020 US Presidential election: Dodger Stadium to be converted into an election site
As a part of this arrangement with the Dodgers, all registered voters in LA County will be allowed to park for free and vote at the stadium. This will mark the first time that an MLB stadium will be used as a polling centre. In recent months, the Dodger stadium was utilised as a site for coronavirus testing and food distribution.
The Dodgers, @LACountyRRCC and @CASOSvote announced today that Dodger Stadium will serve as a Vote Center for the Presidential General Election. The voting site is a joint effort between the Dodgers, @morethanavote, @KingJames and @DAVIDprice24. pic.twitter.com/F4KN6TYdQs
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 13, 2020
LA Dodgers President and CEO Stan Kasten said in a news release that he was proud that the franchise will continue to make the club property available for benefit of the community. "Voting is all of our civic duty, and we're excited to work with More Than a Vote to do anything we can to help get out the vote by making this process as easy, accessible and safe for all Angelenos," Kasten said in the news release.
In the aftermath of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis, LeBron James has been working closely for the upliftment of the Black community. The Lakers star has so far used his massive reach on social media to engage with the masses. In order to encourage the minority community to partake in the upcoming election, LeBron James teamed with several celebrities and athletes to form More Than a Vote. Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young, WNBA star Skylar Diggins-Smith and former NBA star Jalen Rose are all associated with the group.
During a media session back in June, LeBron said, "Yes, we want you to go out and vote, but we’re also going to give you the tutorial. We’re going to give you the background of how to vote and what they’re trying to do, the other side, to stop you from voting.”
The 35-year-old said he is inspired by the likes of Muhammad Ali, Bill Russells, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertsons, who stuck by the beliefs when things were much worse for the African-Americans. "Hopefully, someday down the line, people will recognize me not only for the way I approached the game of basketball but the way I approached life as an African-American man.”
NBA teams like Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings, Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks have all offered their facilities/arenas for use during the five-day elections.
Also Read | Donald Trump Picks Michael Jordan Over LeBron James Since Bulls Legend "Wasn't Political"
(Image Credits: LeBron James, Dodgers Instagram Handle)
10:42 IST, August 14th 2020