The rally outside Springfield City Hall and will feature a voter registration booth, a dozen speakers as well as music and vaccine shots.
The idea for the rally came from a similar one held by the NAACP in Columbus over the summer focusing on issues related to voting access and concerns regarding voter suppression.
Denise Williams, president of the Springfield unit, wanted to host something similar in Springfield that would include voices from local pastors, two candidates for city commission as well as an incumbent and other community voices.
Cynthia Richards, political action chair for the local NAACP, said that nationally a number of pieces of legislation are emerging that can limit access to voting.
Richards said they wanted to talk about the need to safeguard access to voting as well as talk about aspects of two pieces of legislation pending in Ohio that have drawn concern from voting rights groups.
That includes House Bill 294, which would impact how people can register to vote as well as how they can receive their ballot and vote.
Richards said that there are positives and negatives to emerge from that bill. It includes an increase in the number of ballot drop boxes in counties, but limits the amount of time those drop boxes can be there and where they can be located.
It would also allow request for absentee ballots to be made online but would increase the amount of identification required. The bill would eliminate in-person absentee voting on the Monday before election day.
However, Richards said they are more concerned with House Bill 387, which could limit access on the return of ballots via drop boxes, limit the right to vote by mail as well as add other measures she said would have a disproportionate impact on Black voters and voters that face a degree of marginalization or lack access to resources.
The rally is designed to raise awareness as well as make sure residents are registered to vote and know the different voting methods available to them.
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