“The  ‘My Vote Counts’ campaign was started initially to marry the importance of voting with fashion,” said Craig Stokes, a 2004 Aggie alum and member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

He is heading in this politically conscious effort to get people registered to vote with a trendy T-shirt design. The shirts read “My Vote Counts.”

Stokes has his Bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering from A&T and went on to get a master’s degree in business from UNCG. Stokes has designed a campaign initiative called My Vote Counts.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4. Early voting begins Oct. 13 and voters may cast their ballots then or they may vote on Election Day at their home precinct. Aggies, you can vote on campus in the Dudley Building from Oct. 16 through Oct. 25. 

This campaign has already made moves on A&T’s campus. The My Vote Counts campaign registered nearly 200 students to vote in Williams Cafeteria recently. Students who missed out on that event will have a chance to join in on the effort on November 2nd.  Plies will headline a concert focused on voter awareness and the political process. This campaign has other celebrities support like Terrence J of 106 and Park, Bob Johnson, the former owner of BET and Will-I-Am of the singing trio Black Eyed Peas.  

Stokes wants to draw people to the polls by reminding them to “wear their pride in voting on their sleeve.”  This movement like the election is creating an enormous buzz.  This is the first time in our nation’s history we will have either a black President or a woman Vice President. My Vote Counts is non-partisan or neutral organization. Stokes main purpose is to get people involved in the political process. It is up to the people donning these shirts to decide which candidate is fit to lead the country.

For more information about My Vote Counts visit craigstokes.com. T-shirts are also available in the bookstore.

• Alexandria Harper