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OutCentral endorsed 2014-12-08 22:56:59 -0600
Get OUT the Vote 2015
Many Tennessee cities will have elections in 2015. Tennessee's three largest--Knoxville, Memphis, and Nashville--are among them. Will you pledge to remind your friends to vote in these important elections in 2015? We're starting early because we want to get OUT the equality vote. Your organization--even if it is a 501c3 or congregation--can also help. 501c3 organizations and congregations are allowed to tell their members when an election is and what is on the ballot. Those activities in NO WAY endanger their tax exempt status with the IRS. So we are asking you or your organization to pledge to get word out about these elections as they approach. Those individuals and organizations signing up will get information about getting OUT the vote as the elections approach.
Note: The word "endorse" on this page means you are endorsing the plan to get word out about elections. The plan does not involve endorsing candidates.
We will add more city election information as it becomes available, but so far we know these dates:
City of Jackson
Early Voting--April 15-30
Election Day--May 5
City of Knoxville
Early Voting Begins--September 9
Primary Election Day--September 29
Regular Election Early Voting Begins--October 14
Regular Election Day--November 3
City of Memphis
Early Voting Begins--September 18
Election Day--October 8
Runoff Early Voting Begins--October 14
Runoff Election Day--November 3
Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County
Election Day--August 6
Learn more about why the diversity vote is so important in these upcoming elections by taking a look at this video from "12th & Broad" featuring comments from TEP.
Endorse
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Urge Southern Baptist Leadership to rethink the impact of their teachings on LGBT people
Learn more about the issue and consider signing the petition to add your voice to this call to action.
Add signatureThis week the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission is holding a conference in Nashville on marriage, sexuality, and gender. Add your voice to urge them to consider the impact of their teachings on violence against LGBT people and LGBT youth homelessness. According to national estimates, up to 40% of the youth homeless population is LGBT. Many of those youth were turned out of their homes because of certain kinds of religious bias. We believe that rather than holding conferences on how to preserve marriage discrimination, the Southern Baptist Convention's leadership should begin to address the ways in which their teachings contribute to harms to LGBT people.
TEP joined OutCentral and Vanderbilt Divinity School in organizing a protest of the event outside the Opryland Hotel. TTPC and PFLAG also participated. Your voice can help highlight needed changes in the Southern Baptist Convention's approach.
Robbie Maris
Young non-profit professional, LGBT activist, OutCentral Chairman. Nashville, TN baby!