NBA will not play games on 2022 Election Day originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The 2022-23 NBA regular season schedule will feature zero games played on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8, as the league will do its part to encourage U.S. citizens to vote in the midterms.
According to the league, the idea "came out of the NBA family’s focus on promoting nonpartisan civic engagement." In addition to the day off, NBA teams will raise awareness for voter registration and the voting process in the coming months.
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Then, for the games played on Nov. 7, the league will "amplify the work of each team to promote civic engagement in their respective markets and share important voting resources from our partners," according to a press release.
The Wizards have been active in that realm, providing voter registration at Capital One Arena and around D.C. They also opened the arena up as a polling place for the 2020 election.
Recently, players from both the Wizards and Mystics participated in a roundtable on gun violence in Southeast Washington. This season, the Wizards will raise awareness for gun violence prevention during a series of games as part of their 25th anniversary since rebranding from the Bullets.
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A full day off without games is unusual during the NBA regular season. That normally only occurs on Thanksgiving and during the All-Star break.
But with a consequential election approaching, the NBA wants to make sure their fans have every opportunity to exercise their right to vote. Games usually tip off at 7 p.m., right around when polls close in the evening.
