Laura Eigel is a native Dallasite who grew up in Grand Prairie, got her masters at SMU, and received her PhD in Industrial Organizational Psychology from Southern Illinois University. Laura is a wife, mother of 2 small boys, is a Senior Director leading global training at PepsiCo, and did we mention she was recognized by Dallas Business Journal in 2010 as one of our city’s”40 Under 40″ top young leaders?
Now Laura is devoting her nights and weekends helping people get registered to vote.
Dallas Heroes Project: How did you get interested in learning more about voter registration?
Laura Eigel: It began with listening to the Serial podcasts and hearing Adnan Syed’s story and the criminal justice system. Like many others I was also asking, “But what can I do? How can I help?” and when I heard “become an advocate in your community” I was asking “HOW?” Thus began my research on the internet…
I fee like we are at a tipping point in America with this election, there’s this internal urge to connect and do something tangible. There are a lot of opinions but not a lot of action.
DHP: I hear your personal goal is to help at least 100 people get registered this election. Why?
LE: When I learned that only 60% of people voted in the last election, I thought, What’s more inclusive than voting? It’s a way to connect people. And while I can’t make people vote, I canget them registered.
DHP: So how did you become a Deputy Voter Registrar and what does that job entail?
LE: I took an online training course and was deputized within a week! Now I’m able to serve as an extension of the voter registrar’s office. I attend community events, churches, colleges, anywhere where people are gathering so it becomes easy for them to register to vote right then and there.
DHP: What do you love about Dallas?
LE: The diversity and patchwork of interconnected communities. There are so many differences in neighborhoods that are a mile apart. The food is really good, too.