In the wake of the United States presidential election, other than the incumbent losing after his first term, one of the larger story lines of the election was the record voter turnout. While this may have in part to do with the social tension within the United States compelling more Americans to vote than ever before, the work done by the American professional sports community cannot go unrecognized, such as NFL Votes and the NBA’s Civic Engagement program. These non-partisan programs were set out by two of the most popular sports leagues in North America to engage the sports audience in the 2020 election, and to encourage them to vote and to educate potential voters on how to vote, where to vote and where they can obtain information about their options at the polls.  

While both leagues did a great job with encouraging voter turnout, there are specific players that also went above and beyond to encourage voter turnout. While there were many players that took action with this movement, none were more involved than LeBron James. James created the “more than a vote” campaign which stands for voting rights. LeBron recruited over 10,000 poll workers, which is a staggering number that, without a doubt, made Americans feel more comfortable about voting.  

Both the NFL and NBA are predominantly composed of Black players and, as such, these messages encouraging people to vote could be more targeted at African Americans, as they will see their fellow black peers being involved in the American democracy and will be inclined to join them. Agenang and colleagues explored the mindset of the black athlete and their relation to social activism and found that now more than ever there is a mindset that athletes can stand up, and this election, specifically the voter turnout, is an example of this ability to stand up and lead.  

Will Chapman 

Caption: LeBron James, along with teammates Anthony Davis and Quinn Cook wearing shirts encouraging voter participation. (Courtesy of ERIK S. LESSER/SHUTTERSTOCK OUT)