If you're sitting down to write a letter to the editor somewhere and weren't sure where to start, I'd like to suggest that you check out my personal blog where I've been giving a reason a week to vote for Barack Obama as President. Aside from the text itself, which you may or may not want to adapt, each entry has links to issue pages and other materials you might find helpful.
To see the "Why Vote Obama" entries, visit:
http://alaskanlibrarian.wordpress.com/category/whyvoteobama/
If you're writing about some issue where you need a particular fact or quote, feel free to e-mail/message me and I'll see if I can find it for you.
Fellow Alaskans,
Yesterday I helped register to people to vote here in Juneau. Several folks were convicted felons who indicated they couldn't vote. I had thought that Alaska was one of the states were your voting rights were forever taken away after a felony conviction. I even said that to some who asked after checking with my fellow volunteers.
I WAS WRONG. According to Alaska Law, convicted felons CAN register to vote after completing probation/parole. Here is the section of law that says so:
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Sec. 15.05.030. Loss and restoration of voting rights.
(a) A person convicted of a crime that constitutes a felony involving moral turpitude under state or federal law may not vote in a state, federal, or municipal election from the date of the conviction through the date of the unconditional discharge of the person. Upon the unconditional discharge, the person may register under AS 15.07.
(b) The commissioner of corrections shall establish procedures by which a person unconditionally discharged is advised of the voter registration requirements and procedures.
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This information is stated without the statutes on the Division of Elections FAQ page at http://www.elections.alaska.gov/faqs.php:
I was convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude, but have served my time and am on probation. Can I register to vote? No. A convicted felon may not register to vote unless unconditionally discharged from custody. When you are no longer on probation, a copy of your discharge papers will allow you to register.
Now you have information to help you avoid our mistakes.
If you have a blog external to barackobama.com, consider promoting Obama in a systematic way. Last week I realized there were 18 weeks left until the election and I decided to dedicate one blog post a week to telling people why I think they should vote Obama in November. See my introductory post at http://alaskanlibrarian.wordpress.com/2008/07/06/18-reasons-to-vote-obama-1-respect-for-others/.
