Univision Registers Voters In NY & NJ.

A voter registration drive sponsored by Univision, and its New York’s TV and Radio stations, along with the Hispanic Federation and El Diario-La Prensa newspaper, registered an unprecedented 15,000 New York and New Jersey new voters in time for the 2004 election on November 2. It is a record number of new voters registered as part of the Univision 41’s drive, which has operated locally in each of the past five election years.

Univision’s two New York TV stations, Univision 41 (WXTV) and TeleFutura 68 & 67 (WFUT & WFTY) and Univision Radio Stations, 92.7 Latino Mix 105.7 FM (WZAA & WCAA) were co-sponsors of “Cierra el Verano con Sol” (End the Summer with Sun), the voter registration drive coordinated by the Hispanic Federation, an umbrella of non-profit social service organizations. The name of the voter drive is a play on the word “Sol,” the Spanish word for “Sun,” which is also the name of Univision 41’s weatherman, Sol Sostre. He fronted the voter registration drive along with Latino Mix radio personality Liliana Ayende.

“The Hispanic Federation partnership with Univision has lead to many successful voter registration drives over the years. Their commitment to serving the Latino community as well as supporting community agencies and non-profit groups is stellar and they serve as an outstanding model of corporate citizenry,” said Lillian Rodriguez Lopez, President of the Hispanic Federation.

“Cierra el Verano con Sol” was a multimedia effort in which the TV and Radio stations contributed public service announcements on the air, provided voter information through Univision’s local website, Univision.com, keyword: Nueva York, and via “Noticias 41 A Tu Lado” (Noticias 41 On Your Side) telephone hotline staffed by Hispanic Federation volunteers. The “Noticias 41 A Tu Lado” hotline assisted over 3,000 prospective voters, between 6pm and 9:30pm in just three weeks.

“Cierra el Verano con Sol” was originally planned to last three weeks but was held over for an additional week due to popular demand and ended only when the registration deadline was passed.