DURHAM, N.C. — When she moved to Durham in 2005, Kate Fellman got involved in voter registration and involvement efforts around the community.

What You Need To Know

You Can Vote educates people about elections and helps them register to vote

The founder says there's a lot of confusion around redistricting

North Carolina's House and Senate are currently redrawing the district maps

“I was just really surprised at how many people didn’t know what the offices that were on the ballot do and during nonpresidential elections didn’t know that we were even voting that year,” Fellman said.

So Fellman founded You Can Vote, which educates people about elections and helps them register to vote

Fellman says most people want to know and understand what’s going on in elections, but life can get in the way.

Right now, she says redistricting is adding more confusion.

“It’s really hard to sort of get your head around that if you’re not paying attention, and so we have found that it’s just extremely difficult,” Fellman said. “People are confused about where their voting locations are and who their representatives are, and a lot of folks have had it changed several times in the past decade.”

Redrawing the state’s congressional and legislative lines is only supposed to happen once a decade after the census information is released.

North Carolina, however, is in its fourth redistricting since 2010.

Fellman says the decades of court cases around gerrymandered maps is leading to voter apathy.

“The more times things get struck down as unconstitutional, and more controversy there is around the map drawing and the politicians picking, you know hand selecting their voters, it really grows distrust in the whole system,” Fellman said.

As a nonpartisan group, however, she thinks they’re able to break through to voters, who are tired of polarized conversations around the government.

“We’re not selling anything. We’re informing, and as soon as folks realize that we’re just trying to help them understand and make sense of the civics around it, you can see them actually physically relax,” she said.

She knows taking the time to ask questions or do your own research is time consuming, but Fellman says when it comes to deciding who is representing you, it’s worth the effort.

“Those who join in and get involved are the ones that end up being the decision-makers. So your voice and your advocacy and your showing up to pay attention and monitor these local issues is what’s really needed at this time,” she said.