2012: Chris Nolan's "The Dark Knight" redefined the gritty superhero genre, a little book called "50 Shades of Grey" was making the nation hot and bothered from coast to coast, a new bop from South Korea called "Gangnam Style" was taking the world by storm, AND a certain civic holiday called National Voter Registration Day was born. As we prepare to celebrate the 10th anniversary of that inaugural celebration of democracy this September 20th, we look back on the story of how it all began with Matt Singer, partner with Impactual and one of the founding minds behind National Voter Registration Day. Together we hop into the time machine to learn what it was like to plan that very first National Voter Registration Day, look back on all that's happened to the holiday since 2012, and talk about our hopes for a #VoteReady future.

PLUS: Vacation planning in the era of crazy travel circumstances, how much summer is TOO MUCH summer, and what is your cat's favorite herb and why is it basil?

Have questions or comments for the pod? Email us at podcast@nationalvoterregistrationday.org. For the latest updates on the holiday and the rest of the democracy work we do throughout the other 364 days of the year, you can sign up for updates at NationalVoterRegistrationDay.org

Follow National Voter Registration Day on Twitter (@NatlVoterRegDay), Instagram(@natlvoterregday), and Facebook. And don't forget to check out our Official National Voter Registration Day Store on Bonfire.

EPISODE NOTES:

These airports are the world's worst for delays and cancellations this summer

America Has Never Been So Desperate for Tomato Season (from 2019)

Impactual

Reasons for Not Voting (2010 Census)

Stars Support National Voter Registration Day (from 2012)

Michelle Obama's 2012 Tweet supporting National Voter Registration Day

Online Voter Registration

The Racist History of Voter Registration (from 2020)

Civic Holidays 

17 Reasons Why You Should Use an iPod touch in 2022