As the 2024 elections in the United States approach, Alaska Rock Gym (ARG) has launched a nonpartisan effort to encourage more people in the climbing industry to register to vote and head to the polls this coming November. The initiative includes a “Send It and Vote” poster with a QR code that links to vote.gov, a U.S. government website with information on registering to vote, voting in person, mail-in and absentee voting, accessibility accommodations, and more. (The poster files can be downloaded, printed and shared here.)
Over the years, numerous businesses and organizations in the climbing and outdoor industries have encouraged voting ahead of elections. In 2020, for instance, Climbing Business Journal interviewed Michael Cano and Korina Scanlon about Armadillo Boulder’s collaboration with MOVE Texas, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization which had set up a voter registration booth at the gym. The Access Fund, American Alpine Club and Patagonia also participated in voting initiatives that year, to name a few examples from around the country.
According to statistics shared by Bob Butera, an ARG community member and voting rights advocate helping with the gym’s initiative, only 23% of eligible voters aged 18-29 cast a ballot in the most recent midterm elections. Butera notes that a significant portion of climbers fall into that age bracket; based on findings published in the Climbing Wall Association’s 2019 Indoor Climber Survey, 65% of climbers who participated in that survey were 19-34 years old.
“The team at Alaska Rock Gym believes voting is important!” says Nicole Jolyn, General Manager at the gym. “With direct access to a large portion of these eligible voters, ARG asks for your support to communicate the importance of exercising the civil duty to vote. With the support of Climbing Business Journal, we’re reminding all climbers to Send it AND Vote!”
The 11×17 poster was designed by a local graphic artist, Dean Potter, and is accessible for free here. Climbing gyms are welcome to print out the poster and hang it around their gym, share it at the front desk, or email it to gym members. If you would like a mailed copy of the poster, please contact Bob Butera at butera.ak@gmail.com with your gym’s name and mailing address.
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