HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Financial Service Centers of America, the trade association for the nation's check-cashing outlets, has announced check cashers' first-ever voter registration drive. "FiSCA believes that every voice should be heard and that every vote does count. That's why FiSCA has established this voter registration drive," said Gary A. Dachis, Chairman of FiSCA. "We want to bring all of our mainstream financial services customers into the political mainstream." FiSCA's National Voter Registration Drive runs from May 3rd through the end of October with several voter registration events planned across the country. FiSCA is supplying members with promotional posters, voter registration forms, and voter registration instruction guides. "FiSCA's national voter registration program will ensure that our customers' voices are heard loud and clear on Election Day and beyond," said Dachis. "It's important for our customers – and all Americans – to vote in November." "Our customers reflect a cross-section of America, they're extremely loyal and have strong opinions about the services they need," continued Dachis. "They also expect their elected representatives in Washington, in state capitals and in their local communities to represent their interests." Kyle Kotary, a spokesman for FiSCA said that 100 FiSCA members representing about 900 stores so far have signed up to take part in the program, which is a member benefit and carries no cost to them. The association provides the signs, information and other materials for the check cashing customers, Kotary explained. "FiSCA's entire point is that the people who use their services are part of the financial mainstream," Kotary said. "It's more than just check cashing, it's also bill paying and other services as well, including pre-paid cards and ATM access." FiSCA members will be asking the voters they help register if they would want to continue in contact with the member, Kotary explained, and if they would be willing to receive information about issues of interest to them as customers of the FiSCA members. `The old saying is that all politics is local." Kotary said, "so FiSCA members are becoming more aware that their members may not only be contacting their federal and state representatives, but also their mayors and their city councils. Zoning is becoming a huge issue for some of our members and the input from their customers might become more important," he added. -

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