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Subject: Election Protecton 2004 Group seeking volunteers
http://www.lawyerscomm.org/ep04/epintro.html
From: www.hightowerlowdown.org
http://www.lawyerscomm.org/ep04/epintro.html
On-site poll monitoring and same-day legal assistance.
For additional information, contact the LCCRUL Election Protection
Coordinator Deb Geithner at 202-662-8325 or email
dgeithner@l...
On November 8, 2000, Americans woke up to the sobering reality that
there are serious flaws in the way this country conducts elections.
Between 4 and 6 million voters-- disproportionately from minority
communities--were disenfranchised during that election, according to
a study conducted by Caltech and MIT.
In county after county, state after state, problems like these
deprived citizens of their most fundamental right--the right to vote.
Late processing of voter-registration applications
Improper purging of validly registered voters
Mistakes in voter registration lists
Late opening of polling sites
Deceptive practices aimed at suppressing black and Latino voter
turnout
Harassment and intimidation of voters
Closure of polling places with voters still waiting in line to vote
Confusing ballots and ballot instructions
Malfunctioning voting machines
Disrespectful or misinformed election officials
Inaccurate vote counts
Although irregularities are nationwide, 14 states have been targeted
as having a particularly extensive history of voting irregularities.
These are states that are of particular focus for the Election
Protection Program, and local Attorney Networks are being set up in
these states. The Election Protection Program will target 30 states
with large African American, Latino, and Native American populations.
(click here to learn more, and to volunteer).
Priority 1 Blue States
Arkansas
Arizona
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Louisiana
Michigan Missouri
Mississippi
Ohio
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Texas
Wisconsin
Priority 2 Green States
Alabama
California
Colorado
Indiana
Kentucky
Massachusetts
New Jersey
New Mexico Nevada
New York
North Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Virginia
Washington
Washington, D.C.
http://www.lawyerscomm.org/ep04/epregister.html
Thanks for your interest in serving as a volunteer. Please complete
the steps below to sign up to be a volunteer. Your help is needed to
ensure that every vote is counted this November. Lawyers, law
students, and paralegals are needed across the country to serve as
mobile field attorneys, monitor polling sites, and staff a national
hotline.
http://www.lawyerscomm.org/ep04/ep0920/theproblem.html
Why Election Protection?
It wasn't just 2000. It wasn't just Florida.
In 1993, signs in English and Spanish were heavily posted throughout
Latino areas in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx. Voters were
warned, falsely, that immigration officials would be waiting at the
polls.
In 2002, fliers were distributed in black communities in Louisiana
advising voters of the special Senate election on December 10.
ExceptElection Day was actually two days earlier--on December 8.
In 2002, URGENT NOTICE fliers were posted in black communities in
Baltimore. The fliers incorrectly warned that parking tickets and
overdue rent should be paid before voting.
In Philadelphia last year, men carrying clipboards, driving a fleet
of some 300 sedans with magnetic signs designed to look like law-
enforcement insignia, challenged black voters.
Last year in South Dakota, under the auspices of a state voter fraud
initiative, state and federal agents interrogated almost 2,000 new
Native American voters. The program was carried out by the state
attorney general, in conjunction with the Justice Department-- and
only counties with significant Native American populations were
targeted.
Just this year, a Michigan state legislator said, "If we do not
suppress the Detroit vote, we're going to have a tough time in this
election." African Americans comprise 83 percent of Detroit's
electorate. (Most of these examples come from "The Long Shadow of
Jim Crow," a Special Report by the People for the American Way
Foundation.)
It wasn't just 2000. It wasn't just Florida.
But it was the irregularities in the 2000 electionestimates are
that between 4 and 6 million Americans were disenfranchised on
November 8, mostly in minority communitiesthat inspired the
creation of the Election Protection Program. In anticipation of the
2004 election cycle, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights under
Law, People for the American Way Foundation, and the National
Coalition on Black Civic Participation/Unity `04 are leading the
most ambitious contemporary voter protection program in history.
Election Protection is a nonpartisan coalition of civil rights and
civic organizations committed to protecting the right of all
citizens to cast their ballotsand to have their votes counted.
The coalition is accomplishing this goal by developing strategies to
identify and respond to problems before Election Day through
grassroots efforts, education and outreach programs to voters and
election officials, as well as litigation, when necessary. A voters'
rights Hotline (1-866-OUR VOTE) offers immediate legal assistance to
voters with questions or problems.
The Hotline serves as an immediate, on-the-spot resource and will be
operational from the early voting period through Election Day. Legal
volunteers will staff the Hotline in national call centers
inWashington, D.C. and San Francisco and at regional and local call
centers in strategic locations throughout the country; each
volunteer is trained in identification of common problems
experienced by voters, election law and the resources available to
attorneys on Election Day.
"Our goals are to ensure that voters know their rights and are able
to exercise those rights despite the possibility of obstacles,
intimidation and poll worker errors," says Barbara R. Arnwine,
executive director of the Lawyers' Committee, a nonpartisan,
nonprofit organization formed in 1963 at the request of President
Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to
address racial discrimination.
"Election Protection has consistently provided nationwide assistance
to voters during six different election cycles, "Arnwine says. "This
year will be the largest effort, as we plan to expand our previous
activities and success in assisting voters."
For its 2004 effort, Election Protection has targeted 30 states that
have substantial minority populations, 17 of which are top priority
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