OT - Voter Registration Closes in Many States This Week

Bill Ochs · Post by **Bill Ochs** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 11:56 am

Dear Friends,

Thirty-seven states close their voter registration rolls between Oct. 2 and Oct. 8. To register, go to the page that Dale created that has links to four major voter registration sites:

www.chiffandfipple.com/vote.html

Or go to this page, which has links to each state's Department of Elections:

www.fvap.gov/links/statelinks.html

Many states have a voter registration form that you can download. You can also pick up forms at local goverment offices.

If you want to multiply your impact on the election, get some forms and go stand on a busy street corner with a clipboard. Hold the clipboard aloft and say, "Who needs to register to vote? It only takes two minutes!"

I've done this and have found it to be more effective than approaching people and asking them if they are registered. People actually come to you and are very grateful to you for providing a service.

In addition to new registrations, you will also get change of addresses and name changes in the case of marriage. (Remember, if you have moved or legally changed your name, you must re-register.)

In some states, the completed form must be POSTMARKED by the deadline. In others, I believe it must be DELIVERED by the deadline.

Check the state links above and call your local election officials to be certain of what your state deadline means.

The media have been reporting a huge increase in voter registration this year. See today's AP story:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=s ... 4&ncid=716

Or Sunday's NY Times article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/26/polit ... 6vote.html

The website www.rockthevote.com alone has registered almost 900,000 people to date.

Of course, all this means very little if the new voters don't actually go to the polls. To work for the candidate of your choice, visit their local campaign office and ask to help with get-out-the-vote efforts. If the candidate does not have a local office, type the candidate's name, the words "get out the vote" and the name of a city or state in a Google search.

Many people are traveling to the so-called swing states to help with voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts. There are also opportunities to help get out the vote in swing states from your home state via phone banks, e-mail and letter writing.

All indications are that this may be a banner year for participation in the election. If you care about the outcome, get involved!

Bill Ochs

missy · Post by **missy** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 12:33 pm

and if you don't vote, then NOT ONE WORD OF COMPLAINT CAN PASS YOUR LIPS FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS!!!

(of course, you in other countries may do so, but you better vote in YOUR elections, too!)

Missy

franfriel · Post by **franfriel** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 12:33 pm

Dear Bill and All,

I will be first in line to cast my vote!

Here is yet another site for online voter registration. Although I registered to vote when I got my license here I had to register again because I moved. For CT the following site allowed me to fill in the info and print out a form with all the info I needed to mail it to my local voting officials. Very easy. I got my confirmation in the mail within a week.

This site also provides info for absentee ballots and volunteering to help.

http://www.yourvotematters.org/vote/index.cfm

For the college crowd, most states allow you to register at your college making it your residence. You do not have to register in your home state and do an absentee ballot. The link below dispells a lot of the myths about student voting challenges.

For student voting rights info go to:
http://www.rockthevote.com/rtv_campuscampaign.php

Also, the new computerized voting system is terribly flawed. A Maryland firm was hired to hack the system. They got in and out in less then 5 minutes and were able to change the data, leave without detection during or after their visit. A Johns Hopkins University IT Security expert/professor thoroughly examined the Diebold computer voting machine system and said that the code used is amateuristic and the system has fatal security flaws. How can we stand by and just say that it's just too late to change the machines now? Madness!

To voice your opinion about demanding paper vote verification go to:
http://www.moveon.org/protectourvotes/

Democracy doesn't work without the people. No matter how flawed the system is at present it cannot change without participation. Voting is the quickest way to express your opinion.

Whistle while you vote!

Peace,
Fran

Pat Cannady · Post by **Pat Cannady** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 12:35 pm

BUMP

Especially if you live in a swing state and don't want it to be the butt of jokes for the next four years.

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 12:37 pm

missy wrote:and if you don't vote, then NOT ONE WORD OF COMPLAINT CAN PASS YOUR LIPS FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS!!!

With the freakin' electoral college, it doesn't really make a difference in some states.

franfriel · Post by **franfriel** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 12:57 pm

With the freakin' electoral college, it doesn't really make a difference in some states.

Maybe...maybe not.

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists website:

"Remember, every vote counts. In 2000, George Bush won Florida by 537 votes. Al Gore won New Mexico by 366 votes. In 2002, the outcome of the South Dakota race for U.S. Senate was decided by 524 votes. Voting matters."

Don't let the rhetoric fool you about how your vote doesn't matter. That's what some want you to believe.

Vote anyway, Jessie...just in case!

Fran

Bill Ochs · Post by **Bill Ochs** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 9:43 am

Another thing: if you have recently registered or haven't voted for a while, double-check to make sure that you are on the rolls.

If there was an error on your application, you may not be notified. And if you find out about the error after the deadline, you won't be allowed to correct it.

Call your local election officials to make sure that you are registered. Go to:

http://www.fvap.gov/links/statelinks.html

Click on your state and then find info for your county department of elections.

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 10:17 am

My wife and I are all set to go. My two eldest daughters as well. I wouldn't miss this one if I were in Siberia.
Well, maybe, if I were in a Gulag.

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 10:34 am

Bill Ochs wrote: Of course, all this means very little if the new voters don't actually go to the polls. To work for the candidate of your choice, visit their local campaign office and ask to help with get-out-the-vote efforts. If the candidate does not have a local office, type the candidate's name, the words "get out the vote" and the name of a city or state in a Google search.

Something I've wondered for a while, why do they say "get-out-the-vote"? This seems an odd word construction.

Bill Ochs · Post by **Bill Ochs** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 7:43 am

Something I've wondered for a while, why do they say "get-out-the-vote"? This seems an odd word construction.

I suppose it's because the phrase works better as an adjective than "get-out-the-voters" or sounds snappier than "voter-mobilization."

Whatever one calls it, it's the ground game of the campaign. And more people may be involved in it this year than ever before.

There's an article in today's NY Times about thousands of New Yorkers who are traveling to swing states to do this kind of canvassing:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/30/nyreg ... 2b8a169eec

Groups from non-swing states all over the country are doing this as well.

Chiff and Fipple Forums

OT - Voter Registration Closes in Many States This Week

OT - Voter Registration Closes in Many States This Week

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