Voters faced long lines around the country Tuesday morning, but early reports of problems were sporadic.
So far, there were few signs in key swing states of the sort of massive polling place breakdowns that plagued Ohio in 2004.
As of 10:30 a.m., the election protection hotline organized by a coalition of civil rights groups had already fielded 25,000 calls from around the country, with the majority of the problems reported involving long lines, broken voting machines and paper ballot shortages.
In Philadelphia, the Committee of Seventy, a local civic group, reported machine breakdowns.
I feel lately as though I’ve just awakened from a long nap during which entire countries have come into existence and then faded away and the people inhabiting those countries have lived, grown, died, evolved and devolved in societies that were once budding democracies but became stultifying, repressive regimes -- outposts for the evil empire. I feel as though I’ve wiped the crust from my long-shut eyes and now see everything around me as it is. I haven’t done that since I was a child.
I am excited to finally have my election observer polling assignment. I will be in South Philadelphia at the Mahlon Lewis Apartments, bright and early on Election Day!
Here are a couple of points to remember....
* If you have not received your absentee ballot, go to your County Clerk's office on Mon, Nov 3 or your polling place on Tues, Nov 4 to get another ballot.
* If this is your first time voting and you registered by mail without including ID, you must bring ID. The ID address does not need to match your registration address.
* If asked by an election official to remove your Obama gear, remove it (or cover it up) and then VOTE. It's your right to vote!
It's hard to believe, but there are only seven days until the most important election of our lifetimes. Seven days until change - seven days until Michigan has a partner in the White House again. But, none of it will happen without your help. We need you more than ever in this final week to help Get Out The Vote -- the most critical part of our campaign.
This is the election of your lifetime - take the day off on November 4 and protect the vote!
Obama’s Michigan Campaign for Change needs lawyers and law students to implement our historic voter protection efforts. The success of our voter protection effort rests directly on the strength of our legal volunteers.We need dedicated lawyers to work in the polls to monitor and troubleshoot problems on the ground and relay serious issues up to the state legal boiler room. This will allow us to triage the most important problems and then mobilize campaign resources and take immediate action to prevent voter disenfranchisement on Election Day.Please sign up today to help protect the vote in Michigan at: http://my.barackobama.com/milaw
You'll be asked to attend a training session before Election Day, and at the sign up page, you'll be able to choose a training session location and time that is convenient for you. If you have any questions, contact the Michigan Voter Protection Team at 517-331-6074.
Barack Obama's Campaign for Change and Former Wayne County Commissioner Edna Bell will hold a Know Your Rights voter education forum in Detroit on Thursday, October 23. The campaign is holding Know Your Rights voter education forums across Michigan in an effort to educate Michigan voters about election laws and procedures, and their voting rights. Each forum will give members of the community an opportunity to question the campaign’s voter education team about the voting process, and access voter education materials that they can reference as we get closer to Election Day. Forums will be held across the state over the coming week . The campaign launched the state-wide Know Your Rights forums in Lansing last week and has also held similar forums in Pontiac and Grand Rapids.
Check out our Know Your Rights website at: http://www.michiganknowyourrights.com/ !
Thursday, October 23 Detroit Know Your Rights Forum with Former Wayne County Commissioner Edna Bell and the Campaign for Change Voter Education Team5:30 p.m.Detroit Campaign for Change Office2875 W. Grand Blvd.Detroit, MI
I'm collecting people's stories from the road here in Las Vegas. Not a lot of time so will just bullet point them:
Tonight, the Obama Campaign for Change will hold a Know Your Rights voter education forum in Grand Rapids at 5:30 p.m., featuring former Mayor of Detroit Dennis Archer and 2nd Ward City Commissioner David LaGrand. In an effort to educate Michigan citizens about election laws, procedures, and voting rights, the Campaign for Change is holding Know Your Rights forums across Michigan.
Each forum will give members of the community an opportunity to question the campaign’s voter education team about the voting process, and access voter education materials that they can reference as we get closer to Election Day. Forums will be held across the state over the coming weeks, with upcoming events in Detroit and Saginaw. The campaign launched the state-wide Know Your Rights forums in Lansing last week in and has also held a similar forum in Pontiac.
Check out our new Know Your Rights website at www.michiganknowyourrights.com to learn key facts you'll need to know on Election Day, including voter education materials, information on absentee voting, and a schedule of upcoming Know Your Rights forums.
TONIGHT, October 20 Know Your Rights forum with Former Mayor of Detroit Dennis Archer and 2nd Ward City Commissioner David LaGrand5:30 p.m.Grand Rapids Campaign for Change Office1433 Wealthy St., S.E.Grand Rapids, MI
A key message: "Even if you get challenged, here in Michigan you have an absolute right to vote and to have your vote counted on the spot. The only way you lose is if you get intimidated. Stand up for your rights and your vote will be counted." Another note: wearing a campaign button or T-shirt to the polls doesn't prevent someone from casting a ballot; election workers simply will ask to have the pin removed or the shirt covered by a coat under rules that ban campaign paraphernalia within 100 feet of a polling place. Under a new law, Michigan's requires voters to produce photo identification, such as a driver's license or college ID card. But those who lack them -- or just left them out in the car -- still can vote by signing an affidavit. Read the entire story in the Detroit News
Received the following from our local county organizer involving Obama working hard on making sure every vote counts. Another good story on this from my favorite website 538.com and another here. Thought this would be encouraging after my previous posts related to voter suppresion in MI (by the way Obama campaign is on that one too, but I can not remember where I heard that so I leave the Google searches to you all).
Morning Great Lane OATs!
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/mollyclaflinblog/gGgyHYhttp://my.barackobama.com/page/s/vpcvol2We will have lawyers everywhere on November 4th—we are amassing an army. Thus, folks need not fret, we got this!Please let me know if you have any questions.
Why is there absolutely no mention of election integrity, election transparency, voter protection, etc. in the Blueprint for Change, listed among the issues, or anywhere even implied in the Obama campaign literature. Frankly, if Barack Obama and Joe Biden are going to ignore the eight hundred pound gorilla in the room, again, if they are going to ignore the lessons of 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006, if they are not going to stand for us by pledging not to concede or accept victory until all the votes are verified as accurate and honest . . . why, then, should we stand for them?
I've worked, donated, volunteered, and spent my life energy in 2004 for Kerry and he abondoned me when he conceded in less than 12 hours knowing that the election had been stolen. I'll not make that mistake again. So, while I will vote for Obama/Biden and have a bumper sticker on my car and a yard sign in place, I won't do anymore until I see a clear position on election transparency and voter protection by the Obama/Biden campaign.
Chances are if you're reading this page, you know that Ohio is crucial to this election. If we defeat John McCain in Ohio, it is almost totally impossible for him to become president.
The Campaign for Change is looking for interns--young, educated people dedicated to committing much of their time and energy for the next two months to making sure Ohio turns blue for Barack. Click HERE to become part of the army of change-makers.
Watch this inspirational video about the difference young people can make in this election, and then see the details about the opportunities available below:
INTERN FOR BARACK OBAMA IN OHIO.
Internships available in:
Field Organizing
New Media
Voter Protection (JUST ADDED!)
Data
IT
Click here to apply as an intern right now.
While student voter turnout has not been very high in the past, this year looks to be quite different. And young people appear to be leading the Democrats' surge in party identification - which can only be good news heading into the election.
But we all know what that means: The Republican machine is kicking into high gear to stymie young people's efforts to participate in the democratic process.
