The Ohio Campaign for Change has come up with Five Tips to make voting today easier for you. Please take them into consideration as you cast your ballot for Barack Obama today!
Know Before You Go - Double check the location of your polling station so you know where you are supposed to vote. (You can check using the tool at the top of the page, or visit www.voteforchange.com)Timing is Everything - If you can, try to vote during mid-morning or early afternoon, when polls are usually at their least crowded. Proof Positive - Make sure you bring a form of ID with you, whether it’s a picture ID from Ohio (such as a driver's license, or state or military ID); OR one of the following with a current address: your utility bill, bank statement or pay stub. (Click HERE to get all information on your rights and requirements when you vote) What to Wear - Campaign clothing is not allowed at polling places. If you do wear clothing or buttons supporting a candidate, don't worry. You can still vote if you cover up or take it off. MOST IMPORTANTLY: Avoid the Double Bubble - When you vote, fill in the top oval for the Presidential candidate of your choice. Don't also write in the name at the bottom, because there is a risk that your ballot may not be counted on election night.
And with that, GO VOTE!!!
Back on January 25, 2008, I received a phone call from my mother telling me that her closest and dearest friend and mentor—and my “Nana”—had passed away. Her friend, Mattie P. Harris died the day Barack Obama won the South Carolina primary. She was one month shy of her 106th birthday. She had witnessed more history than most of us can imagine. The minute Mama said that Nana was gone, I immediately uttered that Barack would win South Carolina. Mama asked me what I had just said, and I repeated the statement. “Are you all right?” Mama asked. “Yeah, it was just a thought,” I answered. It felt extremely weird to have that sensation. I am not one to believe in a lot of hocus-pocus; I have no real superstitions. I do believe, however, in ancestral signs.
This past week I took my mother to the dentist. A retired school teacher and early childhood specialist, at 87 years of age and with two mild strokes behind her, I do not expect my mother to be spry. She has always been a busy body with a keen wit and fierce independence, only recently acquiescing to my demand that she have a housekeeper come to clean up her house. Yet she looked extremely frail to me this week. As an only child, I worry much more than I care to admit. My mother admitted to me that she forgot my phone number the other day, but she has always managed to find her Barack Obama buttons when we are headed out for the day. When I took my mother to vote a month ago, I heard an elderly black man say that he was voting early for Barack Obama just in case he “kicked the bucket before November 4th.” Everyone laughed, but the statement worried me.
Back during the Democratic convention, my cousin Billie, an 83-year-old director, actor, and drama coach called me as if to reinforce how historic and unbelievable this moment in time was. She talked about how she never dreamed she would see such a day. This was coming from a woman who has not only performed with the very best actors of any era, but who has trained some of the best that Hollywood and Broadway have to offer. I worry about her health in almost the same way as I worry about my mother’s health. She admitted that she had endured some recent health problems but was seeing a nutritionist that had prescribed a diet that had improved her overall well-being. She sounded good on the phone, so I worried less. Yet I still worry. In addition to being a supremely talented director, actor, and drama coach, she is a skilled diplomat and when necessary, a gifted liar (smile)—all great actors are! I have heard her skirt around the truth to deter me from worrying. Sometimes it works; sometimes it does not.
This week I found out that Barack Obama’s grandmother Madelyn Dunham was in declining health. The fact that Barack’s grandmother is a year younger than my mother Syble, and only a few years older than my cousin Billie made me a bit more anxious. I am not worried about Barack’s ability to win the Whitehouse or his ability to chart a new course for this nation. I do admit, however, to worrying that there might be some people who might not be around to see it.
I want Obama to win, not simply for myself, and all of us who have made phone calls, donated money and time, but for all of those old folks who never thought such a day would happen. My older relatives have seen this nation at its absolute worst. They remember having to keep silent as they endured the insults of racist whites; they remember being beaten and jailed for looking in the wrong direction or for staring at some white man's ugly cousin. And, too many Black women remember a time when any attractive Black female had to be cautious around white men. Rape was often the payback to a black woman who had spurned the attention of any white man. There was not likely to be any trial, and if so, there would be no conviction of the rapists. These Black elders, male and female, have waited their entire lives for a moment like the one we will see in less than a week. As an African-American, I have heard all the varied responses to a potential Obama presidency. I even heard one misguided white woman admit that she feared Blacks would retaliate against white Americans for past grievances. Oh well.
I do not know any black person who wants to settle two-hundred-year-old plus scores. All that I, and they, wish is to see Barack Obama win this election, and then strut himself, and his wonderful, brilliant wife and two daughters into that Big House on Pennsylvania Avenue. I personally wish this for my country and my elders who have paid the fullest measure for this moment in time!!
Peace and Love!
YES, WE SHALL!!
Copyright © 2008 by Leslye J Allen
Dear Reader:
The attached Press Release is for a statewide effort by the NAACP and Voter Services Coalition in conjunction with Jeremy Friedman (jfriedman@lawyerscommittee.org) of the "Lawyers Committee on Civil Rights Under Law" (http://www.lawyerscommittee.org/2005website/home/home.html) to encourage people to vote early and check the status of their voter registration so no one is 'left out in the cold' on Election Day. Recently MSNBC starting running public service announcements on this topic, because they felt it was timely and needed.
Thanks.
William
PRESS RELEASE - Count My Vote FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Each reader of this Press Release must realize that voting is not done in a vacuum, it is not a one step action and then it is over; you need to be a part of the greater civic community and be proactive and engaged to make sure your vote is counted.
Check with the County Clerk and make sure you are on the Voter Registration rolls today, don’t wait. Vote early and as soon as possible so that if there is a problem with your registration it can be straighten out by the County Clerk. If you are so inclined, work at a polling site. Assuming that you can come out once every four years and vote for President is frankly irresponsible. You have a responsibility to know the issues and participate in all elections.
Your right to vote is given to you by your birthright, but it must be safeguarded by your own proactive action. True, your American Citizenship guarantees your right to vote, but whether that vote is counted is dependent on working with your local election officials to make sure they are ready to have your vote recorded once it is cast.
New Mexico is listed as a battleground state in this Presidential Election and will have the highest number of registered voters ever coming out to the polls. The February 2008 Democratic Party Caucus was our first trial run with these increased numbers and at the Caucus 17,000 or 12% of the vote was done on provisional ballots because of the inadequacy of the voter registration lists certified by the Secretary of State. Provisional ballots were not counted in the 2004 Caucus, and are always subject to challenges by the candidates for the slightest of errors. By Early Voting in person at the County Clerk’s Office you can often avoid voting on a provisional ballot on Election Day.
Unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud are a nationwide problem designed to undermine the average citizen’s confidence in our election system. The goal is often to discourage people from voting ---lower voter turnouts favor candidates who are not populists. The mantra: “the sky is falling” goes far and wide and the Henny-Penny’s of the world feed into the myth of rampant voter fraud. We need to be vigilant but also must not trample on a voter’s right to vote. Election Protection Coalition is a nationwide effort to count every vote. It is being coordinated through the Lawyer’s Committee on Civil Rights Under Law and includes groups like the: National Bar Association, ACLU Voter Rights Project, NAACP National Voter Fund, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF), Asian American LDEF, and over 100 other Partners.
If you experience any voting irregularities or voting mis-information, call the number below:
1-866-0UR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683) Election Protection Hotline.
For more information or an interview, please contact: Bob Moses, NAACP Political Action Director at (505) 471-6633 or William H. Mee, N.M. Voters Services Coalition at (505) 473-3160.
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We are hearing a lot of discussion on national news about the Bradley Effect: the percentage of voters who state they support a black candidate, but in fact vote against that candidate at the polls. This number has been estimated to be as much as 6%.
The Rove Effect is the unknown percentage of voters: a) who will not vote due to misleading information about voting location, dates and times, or b) whose vote will be ‘lost’ or reassigned on electronic voting machines, or c) who will not be permitted to vote due to the purging of voter rolls based on incorrect criteria, inaccurate data, or intentional elimination of voter groups.
This total is referred to (by me) as the Rove Effect. It is just as insidious, and possibly more statistically significant than the Bradley Effect. Worse, this deprivation of voting rights has the perfect ready made cover up. If the elections don’t go as polls predict, then Rove’s manipulations can be blamed on the Bradley Effect!
The only cure is a landslide!
An interesting, if not very well written, article appeared in the British newspaper The Guardian on Monday (27th Oct’08). Reporter Gary Younge discusses the prospect of many Americans being denied the opportunity to vote due to a compromised voter registration system and a complex ballot process. Mr Younge compares the indignities that might face American voters, especially black and other ethic groups, with the solemnity of the first democratic elections in South Africa back in 1994.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/oct/27/african-american-voters-barack-obama
This analogy got me thinking. Whilst Mr Younge berates the American voting system (and let’s face it, it does have problems), the similarities with 1994 South Africa can also be positive. Thanks to the work of the Obama team and others more Americans than ever before and especially more young Americans and those belonging to ethic or minority groups will have the opportunity to vote next Tuesday. Even if a proportion of these new voters (hopefully only a very small proportion) have their vote challenged this is still a reason to celebrate. After all democracy depends upon the participation of the people and the more people who take part in the democratic process the more democratic a society will become.
So my advice to you is to read Mr Younge’s article. Think about the dignified way in which millions of black South African’s cast their first vote and do the same. Put on your best clothes, join the line early, queue quietly and respectfully, make sure your vote counts. Whatever shenanigans occur at the polling station your solemnity will overcome all obstacles and demonstrate that, even if your right to vote is challenged, you have far more dignity and decency than those who would seek to manipulate the system.
Kathie Snow is a dear friend of mine. We were both actively involved with advocacy issues for students with disabilities in Colorado in the early to mid-90s, and carpooled together to Denver many times. Her son, Benjamin and my Bonnie are almost the same age. They both have disabilities, but that is only one small part of who they are. Benjamin is articulate and witty. Bonnie is artistic and charming. They are both contributing, loving members of their families and communities.Kathie owns this wonderful website, and publishes a newsletter, to which I subscribe <http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/email/2008-10.htm>. This month's issue includes an article about her son voting for the first time with her assistance, just as my Bonnie voted for the first time this year with mine. Bonnie and I used mail-in ballots, while they went to their polling place for early voting.
Please feel free to share this post (in its entirety) with interested parties, and include the links to www.disabilityisnatural.com if you do. Thank you.~Deb StoverAKA Bonnie's Mom
I voted early Wednesday and realized as my paper vote was scanned that we have a major problem in Pinellas County, Fl. Because their are numerous candidates for president, the form makes it easy to vote for Obama or McCain and then for another candidate for president without knowing it. When this happens, voters are told at the scanner that they can go ahead and just let the ballot go though and "where ever" they voted twice will not count, but the rest of there ballot will.
The problem is that the most likely place to make this mistake is on the president vote and the voter does not realize that they may not be registering any vote for president. I have contacted the election office on two occasions, left messages, but was unable to speak directly to Deborah Clark Supervisor of Elections.
I am still concerned that the voters may not realized that it is their presidential vote or entire ballot being cancelled. Please tell people all over the country if the scanner rejects their ballot for voting twice in one block, do not let the scanner attendant over-ride the rejection and process, ASK FOR ANOTHER BALLOT!
I'd rather not get into a long disortation on the SIGNIFICANCE of getting out to vote on election day as I believe that we ALL know how important it is to cast a vote. What I do want to discuss is POTENTIAL VOTER FRAUD. The ONLY possible way that the McCain-Palin ticket [backed by an unscrupulous, militant GOP] can get into the White House is to perpetrate Voter Fraud in any way they can. Whether it is to "delay" voters, confuse them, pass on falsified information, change their voter status... [all of these things HAVE been reported], it can and WILL be attempted.
Here are some links to VITAL INFORMATION that we all must share:US Department of Justice/Civil Rights Divisionhttp://www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting/index.phpYou may call the Voting Section toll-free at (800) 253-3931 or (202) 307-2767REMEMBER THIS PHONE NUMBER1-866-OUR-VOTE [1-866-687-8683]http://www.866ourvote.org/http://projectvote.org/http://www.advancementproject.org/http://www.justvote08.org/VERY INFORMATIVE READING!http://projectvote.org/fileadmin/ProjectVote/Publications/Politics_of_Voter_Fraud_Final.pdf
If you are concerned that the Republicans are going to try to steal another election, please join us.
No Stolen More Elections! is a non-partisan campaign committed to voting rights, election reform, and deep democratic change.
This effort is therefore not supportive of any particular political candidates or parties. Instead of seeking the elevation of one candidate over others, we see "No More Stolen Elections!" as an important part of building the kind of movement that can achieve the reforms promised in the Voter Bill of Rights.
No More Stolen Elections! follows in the footsteps of earlier voting rights struggles, drawing inspiration from the suffrage and civil rights movements of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, and experience from the Democracy Summer coalition of 2001 and the No Stolen Elections! campaign of 2004.
And like those historic movements, we act in concert with campaigns to democratize not only elections, but also our communities, economy, schools, media, military, and more.
If you agree that two stolen presidential elections are two too many -- if you believe that America's greatest, as yet unfulfilled, promise is democracy -- then necessity demands that you sign the No More Stolen Elections! Pledge of Action, and join us in this campaign.
Republican 2008 election season tactics have sought to cash in on the notion that Senator Barack Obama might somehow not be American, Christian, or patriotic enough.
From Fox News to Sarah Palin rallies, these themes have hauled the snide and nasty spirit of McCarthyism into the 21st century. Let’s send it back to the days of poodle skirts, where it belongs.
It’s worth confronting the Orwellian abuse of language behind the snearing, and finger-pointing, to examine a fundamental issue at the very heart of American democracy: the right to vote.
How patriotic is it to undermine American democracy?
Chest-thumping Republican patriots in battleground states have announced that they plan to impede American democracy and seek to disenfranchise voters at the polls—by contending that anyone who has lost a home to mortgage foreclosure has forfeited their residency status.
They are betting of course, that those folks who have lost their homes to mortgage foreclosure aren't Republicans. For anyone who really wants to talk about "anti-American" behavior, let’s suggest this might be a mighty fine place to start.
In tonight’s final debate, John McCain should be challenged on this point, and asked whether he is prepared to publicly call back his party thugs from attacking Americans who seek to exercise their right to vote.
Unfortunately: that won’t happen.
So please: it is imperative that we all summon the best of American neighborhood spirit to combat these tactics aimed at subverting democracy.
Use this website’s Speak Out tool, and write to your local newspaper:
Insist that the struggling folks who have lost their homes should not lose their right to vote as well.
----------------
Here is an excerpt from a New York Times editorial on the subject, with the link to the full article below:
The foreclosure crisis could do considerable damage to the nation’s voting system. More than a million people have lost their homes in the past two years. And because voter registration is based on people’s residences, they could face politically motivated challenges at the polls.
The problem may be especially acute in the presidential battleground states. In Ohio, more than 5 percent of home mortgages are seriously delinquent or in the foreclosure process, and there were more than 67,000 foreclosure actions in the first half of 2008. Michigan and Florida have also been hard hit.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/05/opinion/05sun2.html
What we need now, in the final blitz is (a) to blast out voting rights, polling place rules, date, time, and any other counter-voting rights tampering tactics that our best and brightest pollwatchers and voting rights experts can devise, and (b) the voices of regular Americans telling America why they are voting for Obama.
Let's see the following ad blitz:
Regular Americans, from that amazing line-up at the Democratic Convention, from the home-made video testimonials on the Obama campaign site, from youtube, from facebook postings, the best and the most eloquent of regular Americans telling everyone why they are voting for the Obama/Biden ticket on November 4.
Ending each ad with a visual, bulleted list and voice-over explaining key voting rights, and repeating accurate date and polling rules, and assuring the American people that we have poll watchers organized and local hotlines everywhere to make sure that every American will have his and her vote counted properly in this election.
When did the word “Liberal” become a dirty word? I read articles in Letters to the Editor, and some people seem to think that merely labeling Obama as a “Liberal” ( insert shudder and gasps) is enough to make people not vote for him.
Well, I am a Liberal, I lean further toward things Liberals stand for: the common man, the American worker, labor unions’ right to exist, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, voting rights, and civil rights. The right of every person to be shown respect as a human being regardless of race, sexual orientation or religion. I believe in the individual’s right to decide how to live their life and what to do with their own body in their own privacy, and the right to access to medical and health care benefits, as do Liberals. I, as a Liberal, believe after working for 30 or 40 years and paying into a pension or 401K you have the right to collect a retirement. Liberals believe in fair taxes and expect fair taxes on the wealthy as well as the poor. We believe people don’t mind tax increases as long as they benefit all citizens and not just the top 10% of the wealthiest individuals and corporations. We believe tax cuts should be used judiciously and not just to win an election, but consider the current state of the country’s economy.
Liberals, myself included, believe in the right to voice an opinion, without fear of reprisal. We anticipate the hope to live in peace and not fear. We support policies that do not weigh our children, our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren with our irresponsible fiscal policies and lack of oversight, putting them deeper and deeper into debt. We value the opportunity to make a living wage, and being able to walk down the street without the fear of being shot.
Liberals espouse recognition of the value of education in our country and backing up that recognition by funding education for every child in America, as well as recognition of the value of our elderly and our obligations to our elders. Liberals talk about being willing to stop the discarding of the elderly into homes unfit for any human being, or relegate them to poverty and illness at the end of productive lives based on the mighty dollar. Liberals believe in the right to health care that does not force a choice between bankruptcy and medical care. The examples are legion, but if you want to know, talk to your neighbor.
The values Liberals hold I hold: love your neighbor as yourself, choose peace over war whenever possible, hold life (every life) in the highest esteem, empathy, understanding, trust, individual rights, and the respect for the opinions of others. None of us are less, for we are all intertwined and rooted in the same tree. That tree is the Tree of America, and it stands on the Planet Earth. Therefore, we Liberals think globally, trying to work with, rather than against our neighbors. Last of all, Liberals think for themselves and do not believe everything said to them from the pulpit or the soapbox. Instead they look for truth. As individuals we are not perfect, but we are not ashamed of our label either. I am proud to call myself a Liberal.
For Barack Obama's beliefs and stands on the issues see http://www.barackobama.com/issues/.
VOTE FOR CHANGE!! VOTE FOR A NEW AMERICA!! VOTE FOR AMERICAN VALUES! VOTE FOR OBAMA!!!
Who is ACORN?
ACORN is the nation’s largest grassroots community organization of low- and moderate-income people with over 400,000 member families organized into more than 1,200 neighborhood chapters in 110 cities across the country. Since 1970, ACORN has been building community organizations that are committed to social and economic justice, and won victories on thousands of issues of concern to our members, through direct action, negotiation, legislative advocacy and voter participation. ACORN helps those who have historically been locked out become powerful players in our democratic system.
Community organizing: Each of the 1,200 local ACORN neighborhood chapters in 110 cities and 40 states brings neighbors together to work for stronger, safer and more just communities.
Issue campaigns: Each ACORN office carries out multiple issue campaigns. ACORN members across the country work to raise the minimum wage or enact living wage policies; eliminate predatory financial practices by mortgage lenders, payday lenders, and tax preparation companies; win the development of affordable housing and community benefits agreements; improve the quality of and funding for urban public schools; rebuild New Orleans; and pass a federal and state ACORN Working Families Agenda, including paid sick leave for all full time workers. Learn more about ACORN:
http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=12342
April 4, 2007
There are new developments in the scandal over the Bush administration’s firing of eight U.S. Attorneys. One of the dismissed prosecutors has revealed that he was pressured by Republican officials to target the advocacy group ACORN for voter fraud. ACORN was working on a voter registration drive in low-income and largely minority neighborhoods in New Mexico. David Iglesias told Newsweek that he found no case worth bringing against ACORN. But that apparently did not please the White House. Last week Attorney General Alberto Gonzales" ex-chief of staff D. Kyle Sampson testified that during the run-up to the mid-term election White House adviser Karl Rove complained that Iglesias and two other U.S. Attorneys had not done enough to prosecute so-called voter fraud.
Source: Democracy Now! The War and Peace Report
http://www.democracynow.org/2007/4/4/headlines#11
ACORN has just completed the largest, most successful nonpartisan voter registration drive in U.S. history. We helped 1.3 million low-income, minority and young voters across the country register to vote.
Unfortunately, just as in 2006, that success in bringing people into the democratic process, have been greeted with unfounded accusations to disparage our work and help maintain the status quo of an unbalanced electorate.
After a similar spate of charges against ACORN in 2006, we learned that then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales had fired Republican U.S. Attorneys because they refused to prosecute ACORN and other voter assistance groups on trumped up fraud charges. This was the heart of the U.S. Attorney-gate scandal that led Karl Rove, Gonzales and other top Department of Justice officials to resign. Because the press didn’t catch on until long after the election, it was part of a successful strategy to create an unfounded specter of voter fraud and to suppress voting.
Statement continued @ Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now
http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=12340
I realize that many well intentioned Americans are exercising their wishful thinking that the elections would finish up quickly but what if the constitutional right to vote was suspended or removed?Stop for a minute and reflect on how many men,women and children lost their lives for the very freedoms that many of us take for granted and complain loudly that they infringe on our rights to be involved in other matters rather than politics.
It wasn't all that many years ago that certain groups of Americans won the right to vote.During the time of the ratification of the Constitution only the landed gentry had the rights of voting which was approximately only half of the men folk.Other groups didn't get the right until much later.
Women's right to vote:1920
Native American right to vote:1924
African American right to vote:1965
The citizens of Washington D.C. wern't able to vote until 1961.So although you may get tired of the voting process,it is the biggest responsibility of citizenship.So get involved and rally the vote.The future of our country depends upon it more so now than ever.
Hi Guys,
According to the Virginia Registration folks, there have been over 300,000 new voters have been added to the voter rolls in 2008. This is a wonderful credit to the sustained hard work by the Obama unsung heros like our very own JP who helped grow democracy.
Republicans love to chant USA-USA-USA and wave their "Country First" signs at McCain and Palin campaign stops. Seems like Republicans must love the democracy too, right? However if you we Martian listening in on radio waves from U.S. media lately, and especially Murdox's FOX affiliates, you might conclude that registering new voters was akin to commiting an egregious criminal offence. Unfortunately, accusing democratic leaning registration activists of voter registration fraud, real or imagined, is politics-as-usual for Republicans. The fact of the matter is Republicans fear new voters, especially if they are from "suspect" race and economic demographics (see in Defense of ACORN YouTube video). Republicans tried to stop state Motor Voter initiatives when they were first proposed, imagining all those newly arriving residents might lean towards Democratic candidates. Further proof Republicans hate democracy is their shameful display during the 2000 Florida Presidential recount where they did everything in their power to stop the re-count, ultimately using their right-wing Supreme Court majority to snuff out all appeals to restart the counting. Welcome to Karl Rove hard-ball politics America! We saw voting problems in Ohio in 2004 in pro-Kerry districts where voters stood in line for 10 hours, some of these districts were forced to stay open longer than scheduled after Democratic lawyers demanded that judges intervein.
Hopefully, you have your ears up by now, and wary of the "Country First" Republicans and their hatred of democracy. What should we do to battle these anti-democratic forces?
1. Valid New Registrations: Ensure all new voters are positively accepted by voter registration. Many times, there are problems completing the voter registration form. A great web site I have found is Can I Vote (dot) org link. The site shows if you are registered and where your voting precinct is located.
2. Vote: Maybe easier said than done. According to today's (October 10th) Virginia Pilot,
"The Advancement Project charged that the six cities it examined in Virginia do not have enough voting equipment or poll workers" and,
"Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Newport News were among the six Virginia cities studied because of the active voter registration efforts that have taken place.
"There are potential serious problems in all six cities and counties," Jim Freeman, a staff attorney for the organization, said. "Norfolk and Virginia Beach are certainly at or near the top of the list."
Obama voters will clearly need to be patient to make their vote count. It will be worthwhile!!!
3. Litigate, as Necessary: The Republicans were not shy about sending their sworms of lawyers to Florida in 2000. I hope and pray that the Obama Team has the badest, nastiest, meanest group of lawyers chained up in a padded room somewhere ready to be unleashed November 4th upon state voter officials should any voter irregularities threaten the integrity of the election. All American's votes must count on November 4th; cast and count all votes possible!!!
Dave
MONTGOMERY - When James Solomon went to register to vote earlier this year, he said he was told he couldn't vote because of a past conviction for cocaine possession.
That was in direct contrast to advice given by the Secretary of State's Office that drug possession is not a crime that strips someone of their voting rights.
"I just wanted to vote. When you got a felony, they treat you like you're nobody," said Solomon, an Enterprise welder and the widowed father of seven.
Less than a month shy of a historic election expected to bring record turnout, there still is uncertainty over who is eligible to vote in Alabama. State officials have given boards of registrars conflicting lists of felony convictions that bar a person from voting.
And registrars, already swamped with new voter applications, have the difficult task of sorting out who is and who isn't eligible to vote.
"We don't want to be in a multiple choice situation. You want to know the answer," Montgomery County Elections Director Trey Granger said.
A statewide computer system for the past 11 months has been noting convictions for more than 400 crimes that Gov. Bob Riley's administration deemed to be felonies of moral turpitude - even though officials with the Administrative Office of Courts said they were assured by Riley's office only a shorter list of 70 felonies developed by the attorney general's office were being checked.
"I know there is confusion. The computer system is flagging people who ought to be able to vote," said Kenneth Glasgow, a former drug offender turned pastor who works to help former felons to register to vote.
Secretary of State Beth Chapman said she's been trying to sort out the confusion through a series of conference calls and memos with county registrars over the past several months.
"They must first go to the AG's opinion. If that doesn't answer their question, they should seek guidance from their county attorney, their district attorney or my attorney," Chapman said, describing the advice her office has given local boards.
Looks like the G.O.P. is really trying to play dirty in order to win this election. Word is they are now subtlety encouraging some States to illegally purge Voter Registration Polls. In addition they are attempting to violate the LEGAL Voting Rights of many citizens who are ready to help bring about C-H-A-N-G-E in this nation. The Voting Rights Act of 1965, Section Two defines how Election Boards are required to be conducted: Section 2 of the Act, is a nationwide prohibition against voting practices and procedures, including redistricting plans and at-large election systems, poll worker hiring, and voter registration procedures, that discriminate on the basis of race, color or membership in a language minority group. It prohibits not only election-related practices and procedures that are intended to be racially discriminatory, but also those that are shown to have a racially discriminatory impact. The Attorney General, as well as affected private citizens, may bring lawsuits under Section 2 to obtain court-ordered remedies for violations of Section 2. However State of Board of Elections employees in certain States are simply REFUSING to comply with Federal Laws that establish the Voter Eligibility rules and which limit the circumstances in which a Voter's Registration can be cancelled. Questionable Voting Rights practices in Ohio, Nevada, North Carolina, Michigan, Florida, Louisiana, New Mexico, Colorado, Virginia, Georgia, Texas and perhaps South Carolina could possibly try to sway results in the G.O.P.'s favor by intentionally disenfranchising hundreds of thousands of Voters thus affecting Ballot results. How? For example: 1) Cancelling the Registrations of Felons whose rights have been restored. Convicted Felons who have served their time, are NOT on Probation and have paid all of their Restitution or Fines are Legally Eligible to Vote in a U.S. General Election. 2) Cancelling the Registrations of people who have lost their homes to Foreclosure. (The Obama campaign recently filed a lawsuit against within the Michigan Federal court system to challenge the G.O.P. from purging Voter Registrations of citizens who have lost their homes to Foreclosure.) (The McCain campaign pulled out of Michigan last week.) 3) Deciding to use the U.S. Mail as a method for Voters to verify their Registration Status, thus when forms or letters are returned unopened or with no response, those citizens will NOT be allowed to Vote on Nov. 4Th. 4) Trying to nullify the ballots of Deployed Soldiers. 5) Attempting to also nullify or disqualify the Registrations of College Students due to them being claimed as Dependents on their Parents Income Tax Forms. 6) Denying citizens the rights to cast their ballots if they can't meet certain Voter I.D. criteria. NOTE: The U.S. Supreme Court has since ruled to uphold the Voter I.D. Law. In essence the State Board of Elections in some of those states may try to use any little challenge as a means of cancelling Votes intended for the Democratic Party. How can this be avoided? a) If you as a citizen feel as though or believe your Voting Rights are being violated in any way and your State Board of Elections refuses to assist you, feel free to contact the U.S. Dept. of Justice division, Civil Rights Division. b) If you as a citizen and a Registered Voter believe feel that you are being FORCED to vote for a certain Candidate such as being told to cast your ballot for Incumbent Politicians or Candidates of a certain Ethic group, in exchange for Jobs, Money, etc., or if your being intimidated into voting for certain Candidates contact your State Board of Elections. If they refuse to assist you contact the U.S. Dept. of Justice, Civil Rights Division. c) If you are a Convicted Felon who has fulfilled your sentence, are NOT on Probation, owe no Fines but your being told you CAN'T Vote, contact your State Board of Elections. If they refuse to assist you contact the U.S. Dept. of Justice, Civil Rights Division. d) If you are a citizen who has lost their home due to Foreclosure and are being told you CAN'T Vote, contact your State Board of Elections. If they refuse to assist you contact the U.S. Dept. of Justice, Civil Rights Division. According to the Federal Voting Standards and Procedures Act ALL states are required to streamline Registration, Voting and other Election Procedures. In layman's terms: ALL states and provinces within the U.S. MUST practice or enforce the SAME Voting Policies to avoid illegally swaying votes for a particular Political party. This Election is one of the most important events in United States History. Please don't allow anyone or anything to deter you from being able to exercise your LEGAL right to cast your ballot for YOUR Political Candidate of choice. Register and take action because EVERY VOTE COUNTS! Peace Chief, Voting Section Civil Rights Division Room 7254 - NWB Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Washington, DC 20530 Chief, Voting Section Civil Rights Division Room 7254 - NWB Department of Justice 1800 G St., N.W. Washington, DC 20006 You may call the Voting Section toll-free at (800) 253-3931 or (202) 307-2767.
Sources: Huffington Post, NY Times, Progessive Politics, Politico, FederalElectionReform.com, USDOJ, cnewmark.com, Southernstudies.org, Cornell Law School, thestate.com, VoteMeCool
Sunday, August 31, 2008
In July, the American Civil Liberties Union held a press conference to announce that it would be suing over Alabama's felon voting laws. Since that time, there have been several news articles and opinion pieces about the lawsuit, some written by counsel for the plaintiffs and their allies. As Alabama's attorney general, I am charged with defending this litigation, and I want to tell you the other side of the story.
The Alabama Constitution provides that felons who have been convicted of felonies involving "moral turpitude" may not vote, unless they have their rights restored. Felons - except those who committed the most heinous of felonies, like murder, rape and possession of child pornography with intent to distribute - may have their voting rights restored through a pardon or through a Certificate of Eligibility to Register to Vote. That latter process was created by the Legislature in 2003.
One of the arguments plaintiffs have made in court is that the constitution requires the Legislature to decide which felonies involve moral turpitude. In their essays, plaintiffs' counsel said the same thing.
Hello all,
I'm so sorry to have misinformed everyone. In an earlier post, I had told everyone that I had found out that the address on your identification had to match the registration address in order for you to legally vote in Florida. I had gotten this from a contributor in one of the Obama groups. Turns out, this information is WRONG. I've learned my lesson, and I hope you will too - only trust information coming directly from the Obama campaign.
Here is the email I just received from the Obama campaign, with details about the false rumor.
There's a dangerous rumor going around the internet in Florida right now, and it's being repeated by some news outlets. To be clear: when you vote in Florida, the address on your identification CAN be different than your registration address. Thousands of voters around Florida could be discouraged from voting or even denied their rights based on this misunderstanding. And nobody knows better than Floridians how big a difference even a few votes can make. We need to make sure this false rumor isn't reported as truth and alert people to the facts. Write a letter to the editor of your local paper now and help preserve voting rights. The voter identification law is relatively new, and there is a lot of honest confusion around what will be required of Florida voters this November. But this election is too important to let the confusion go uncontested. With the devastating effects of the Bush-McCain economic policies being felt worse than ever, millions of Americans are counting on the change that only Barack Obama and Joe Biden can bring. Once this rumor gets established in people's minds, it will be very hard to dislodge. That's why we need to act now to push back with the truth. With our easy-to-use letter tool, it's simple to write and send letters to your local paper. Check it out now and help get the message out: http://fl.barackobama.com/FLvoting Keep fighting the good fight, Obama Action Wire
