NBA won’t schedule games on Election Day to encourage voting

Aug. 16 (UPI) — In the fall and winter months there are few nights without professional basketball. But this year, Election Day will be one of those dates.

The NBA announced Tuesday it will instead focus on encouraging fans to vote in the Nov. 8 midterm elections.

All 30 teams will play on Nov. 7, the night before. The hope is that teams will use that night to encourage fans to get out and vote the next day.

James Cadogan, executive director of the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition, told NBC News the effort is important for democracy.

“We don’t usually change the schedule for an external event,” Cadogan said. “But voting and Election Day are obviously unique and incredibly important to our democracy.”

Leading up to Election Day, the league hopes teams will share information like registration deadlines with fans to make it easier for them to participate. On Nov. 7, ith every home team is encouraged to host an election-themed fan night.

“That will really be the capstone to the entire start of the season, where we will be communicating about the importance of civic participation, the importance of registering, the importance of getting out and voting,” Cadogan told NBC News.

This year’s effort is a continuation of the league’s work to encourage fans to vote. In 2020, 23 arenas and NBA facilities were converted into polling locations. Some facilities were also used to process ballots and train poll workers.