Vote. Engage. Repeat. BET Announces Return of #ReclaimYourVote, Its Signature Civic Engagement Campaign on National Black Voter Day, Sept. 16

BET, a unit of Paramount (NASDAQ: PARAA; PARA; PARAP), today announced the return of #ReclaimYourVote, its signature, non-partisan civic engagement campaign, marking the next phase of BET and National Urban Leagues’ annual campaign.

Together with more than 40 key partners, BET will focus its efforts on driving participation through social activations, a voter and volunteer resource hub, incentivized voter planning, and special interstitial content and directives across its linear, digital, social, and – new this year – streaming platforms, according to a press release.

Reclaim Your Vote officially kicks off on National Black Voter Day, today, Friday, Sept. 16. This year’s campaign themes – “Election Season is Our Season” and “VOTE. ENGAGE. REPEAT.”– underscore the importance of exercising habitual civic duties, including voting, advocacy according to personal choice, and engaging with government institutions along with elected and appointed leaders. The goal is to register and encourage Black voters to become more informed about the issues impacting our communities and help them create personal engagement plans to stay active in the country’s democracy beyond election day.

This year, the campaign commences with a special public service announcement (PSA) created in conjunction with When We All Vote, featuring former First Lady Michelle Obama and NBA Star Chris Paul. By encouraging Black voters to get active early and remain engaged long beyond Election Day, both Obama and Paul call on audiences to recognize the power of their voices, act on the responsibility to use it, and work together to show that the power still lies in the hands of citizens.

“At BET, we’re committed to driving Black civic engagement while spotlighting the power and agency of Black Voters across the country,” said Scott Mills, CEO of BET.

“Voter suppression and disenfranchisement continue to be unique threats to the Black Vote, not just during election season but every day. This year’s Reclaim Your Vote campaign underscores that voting is not the end – it’s just the beginning, and we look forward to working with our dedicated partners to spread this message far and wide.”

“We are thrilled to kick off the third year of our Reclaim Your Vote campaign with BET alongside our 40 plus partners, to further equip the Black community with vital resources to create a positive civic impact for generations to come,” said President and CEO Marc H. Morial, National Urban League.

“Our collective efforts are undoubtedly important to the ongoing progress of the Black community and we look forward to amplifying our shared voices to educate, inform, encourage and drive action.”

The #ReclaimYourVote campaign will feature several collective events for audiences to tune in and get involved, including three virtual events on National Black Voter Day to spotlight partners and opportunities to volunteer. The National Black Voter Day Takeover will kick off on Facebook Live from 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET/PT, followed by the “Comms for Good: Our Role in Engaging Black Voters” virtual event in partnership with ColorComm from 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET/PT, and “A Twitter Space” discussion from 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET/PT on Twitter Live. Audiences will also be able to access a hub created specifically to inform and serve as a resource to connect with organizations on the frontline of civic engagement and social justice.

“BET’s legacy is anchored in our commitment to the Black community – not just to entertain, but also to inform, engage and mobilize our collective voices,” said Jeanine Liburd, BET’s chief social impact and communications officer.

“We’re excited to leverage all BET platforms and serve as the home for partners to share vital information with voters to stay engaged all election season.”

In addition to strategic partnerships, integration across BET’s linear, digital, and streaming content channels has been central to the campaign’s success over the past three years. The campaign has amassed an immense appeal among celebrities, athletes, activists, politicians, and consumers. The BET Hip Hop Awards, hosted by Fat Joe on Tuesday, Oct. 4th, will also include important PSAs to encourage civic engagement this year.

Join the conversation on social by using hashtags #ReclaimYourVote and #BETVote. BET wants viewers to let everyone know they intend to reclaim their voice and their vote. Bet.com/VOTE will feature social filters they can display on social media as badges of honor and encouragement to their followers to register, make their voting plan, and volunteer their time, talent, and treasure to activate the Black community. To learn more about events and opportunities to get involved, visit BET.com/vote, and for more about BET, visit BET.com, and watch and stream through your devices.