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Daily Archives: 10/19/2010
Make a difference in Washington elections today
November 2nd is right around the corner, and the election season is kicking into high gear. Pundits and observers on both sides of the political aisle agree; the elections this year will be decided by who gets their voters to the polls. We want to make sure your pro-equality voice is heard, so plan to vote early by mail– and tell your friends and family to do the same!
HRC-Endorsed Candidates in Washington
HRC has endorsed the following fair-minded candidates this year.
U.S. Senate
Patty Murray
U.S. House of Representatives
Jay Inslee (CD 1)
Rick Larsen (CD 2)
Norm Dicks (CD 6)
Jim McDermott (CD 7)
Suzan DelBene (CD 8)
Adam Smith (CD 9)
How to Vote by Mail
Voting by mail is one of the best ways to ensure that your vote is counted. You won’t have to worry about long lines on Election Day, going to the wrong polling location or feeling rushed at the voting booth. In Washington, almost all voting is conducted by mail and coordinated through your county auditor’s office.
In most counties (with the exception of Pierce County), county election officials will automatically send you a ballot in the mail if you are a registered voter. If your ballot does not arrive or if your address has changed, you may also register to vote or pick up a ballot in-person at your county auditor’s office until October 25th. Pierce County residents may request a vote-by-mail ballot online.
All ballots, including vote-by-mail ballots, must be signed and postmarked or delivered to your county auditor on or before Election Day.
If you’re not yet registered to vote in Washington, it’s not too late. You can still register in person at your county auditor’s office until Monday, October 25th.
With so much at stake this November, we cannot afford to have a single pro-equality voter sit this election out. Make sure you are all set to vote early – and don’t forget to spread the word to your friends, family and colleagues!
Sincerely,
Joe Solmonese
President
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The final weekend
Forget the “enthusiasm gap.” Here’s the real story about who is more fired up and ready to go — just as our campaigns shift into GOTV (get-out-the-vote) mode.
Reports are coming in from across the country of record early voting turnout in key states like Ohio and Iowa — with Democratic turnout far outpacing our opponents.
On Saturday, OFA volunteers reached out to more than 1 million voters in a single day — levels we haven’t seen since the closing days of the presidential campaign two years ago.
And on Sunday night, Barack and Michelle Obama spoke to more than 35,000 Ohioans about these final two weeks. It was the largest rally since the inauguration.
But none of that will be enough unless we continue building through the final days of this election.
Will you sign up to fill a crucial GOTV shift in the final four days of our Vote 2010 campaign?
As the President said in Columbus,”there’s no more important time to be out there knocking on doors, making phone calls, and helping voters get to the polls” than on the Saturday, Sunday, and Monday before Election Day — and on Election Day itself, November 2nd.
Supporters across the country will come together in the final days to help eke out every last vote we can — from the grandmother who would like nothing more than to vote and just needs a ride, to that last call to convince a first-time voter from 2008 that he needs to get back to the polls this year.
And from New York to California, Alaska to Florida — and everywhere in between — there are key races that will need every ounce of energy you can spare.
Please sign up to help in the closing days of this campaign:
http://my.barackobama.com/ShiftGOTV
Thanks,
Mitch
Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America
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Voting Rights Violated; Free Eddy Zheng; Chicago’s Wonder Women
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THIS WEEK on CHANGE.ORG Voting Rights ViolatedPlus: Free Eddy Zheng • Chicago’s Wonder Women • Pink Ribbon Hypocrisy • Abercrombie’s Child Labor • Sidewalk Sitting Ban
Election Day is near, and candidates across the country are busy traversing their districts in yet another election that will likely be decided by voter turnout. But voting in the United States has never been as easy as simply showing up at the polls – and in some states it’s getting more difficult in ways that disproportionately affect immigrant and minority voters. The poster child for this trend is Georgia under Republican Governor Sonny Perdue. Just before the 2008 election, the Department of Justice was forced to intervene to block a flawed voter-verification process in the state that inaccurately flagged thousands of Georgia residents as non-citizens, denying them the right to vote. This election, Georgia is once again planning an extensive new voter-verification process that voting rights advocates say could effectively disenfranchise thousands of citizens. But this time the state hasn’t stopped at its attempt to implement more barriers to voting. Instead, it has also challenged the bedrock provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that requires jurisdictions with a history of racial discrimination in voting to submit proposed voting changes for federal pre-approval to ensure that they are free from discrimination. This is part of a disturbing movement of states with a dark history of voting discrimination – including Alabama, North Carolina and Texas – that are proposing newly restrictive voting measures that disproportionally impact minority voters while simultaneously challenging the Voting Right Act’s provision requiring they receive approval from the courts. We’ve made dramatic progress in reducing discrimination in our electoral system in the four decades since the Voting Rights Act was passed. But there are still reports of irregularities and racially-charged voter suppression in almost every election, and in that context challenges to the most important voting rights legislation ever passed in the United States should concern everyone. That’s why with Election Day only two weeks away, we’re joining with our friends at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in urging our national leaders to affirm the breadth and depth of the Voting Rights Act and prevent the disenfranchisement of minority voters. Please add your voice in support of the voting rights of all Americans today. For more news and commentary on this week in change, see the summaries of your favorite causes below. |
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Free Eddy Zheng in IMMIGRANT RIGHTS Eddy Zheng was sentenced to over two decades in jail at the age of 16, in a process language barriers prevented him and his family from fully understanding. Since his release, he has distinguished himself as a leader in prisoner rehabilitation and youth violence prevention, winning the appreciation of the San Francisco mayor and other elected officials. Yet, as a non-citizen, he faces deportation for his ancient crime. Zheng has applied for a governor’s pardon, and you can help him win it. Read more » |
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Chicago’s Wonder Women in EDUCATION If you’ve seen the documentary Waiting For Superman, you know that America’s education system is in crisis. What happens when a group of moms take things into their own hands? Since September 15, moms from the South Side of Chicago have staged a sit-in to demand a school library for their children. Chicago Public Schools plans to knock down an old building and replace it with a field, but the moms want to turn it into a community center. Read more » |
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Pink Ribbon Hypocrisy in HEALTH It’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and alcohol companies are asking women to booze it up for the disease. But the irony is sobering: alcohol directly contribute to breast cancer. Will the pink-ribbon labels come clean and tell consumers of the health risks or remain defined by their duplicity? Read more » |
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Abercrombie’s Child Labor in END HUMAN TRAFFICKING Despite international condemnation, the government of Uzbekistan continues to remove millions of children from schools across the country and force them to pick cotton in arduous conditions. Sixty-five of the world’s largest apparel brands have refused to buy Uzbek cotton picked by forced child labor. But ironically, children and teens’ clothing companies Abercrombie and Fitch and Gymboree have refused to stand against forced child labor. Read more » |
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Sidewalk Sitting Ban in END HOMELESSNESS On Election Day, residents of San Francisco will go to the polls to vote on something called the Sit-Lie Ordinance, or Proposition L. End Homelessness bloggers Rich and Elizabeth Lombino write that homeless advocates describe it another way: discriminatory. If passed, the ordinance will make it illegal to sit or lie on a city sidewalk between the hours of 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. Opponents worry that arbitrary enforcement will mean that people who “look homeless” are forced to move along while others are allowed to stay and rest. Read more » |
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| Have a great week,
– The Change.org Team
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Looking at the polls… a message from Rahm
I’ve been looking at the polls and I don’t see a single reason why Democrats can’t retain our strong House Majority with enough support. But time is running out.
Right now, dozens of Democratic House candidates are in the promising — but precarious — situation of trying to maintain a narrow lead in the final 14 days.
You’ve worked hard to carry our candidates to the edge of success. Don’t let Republicans scratch and claw their way back. Midnight tonight is a critical deadline to get money in the door to send out to key battleground races. Even a contribution of $5 can make the difference. But with only 14 days to go we need to get support on the ground now.
Contribute $5, $10 or more before Midnight Tonight to our Two Weeks Out ad buy fund and your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar by House Democrats.
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As a former DCCC Chairman, I know what kind of tough decisions they are being faced with and with just 14 days until Election Day, decisions are being made almost hourly about where to invest our resources. Every single dollar makes a difference.
This year, we have to help them meet a dangerous new challenge as outside shadowy GOP front groups continue to pour money into deceitful and misleading ads.
We can’t have a single regret on the day after Election Day. It’s time to go all in.
Rahm Emanuel
P.S. In these final days, we can’t let a single false attack go unanswered. Every dollar you give will help another House Democrat avoid being crushed by outside group spending. Contribute $5, $10 or more before Midnight Tonight to our Two Weeks Out ad buy fund and your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar by House Democrats.
Be a Seed for Change 
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