Vote

DNC Chairman Howard Dean sent the following to Democrats this morning.

Dear Friend,

Today most people will simply vote and go home.

That's not enough. Whether you're voting today or you've voted early or absentee already, what you do today could determine the outcome of this election The power is in your hands -- by getting as many people to vote as you can, you'll bring a change to our country and end Republican rule.

The conversations you have today, the extra few minutes you take to bring someone who might not otherwise vote with you to the polls, the follow-up with your friends, family and neighbors to make sure they have voted -- all of it will multiply the power of your single vote.

To help you get to the polls -- and to help you get others to the polls you can find your states polling information online:

http://www.democrats.org/pollingplace

We've also put together the resources you need to spread the Democratic message and reach as many people as possible. Here are just a few a couple of those resources:

Last-Minute Volunteers

The best way to volunteer at the last minute is to call your local Democratic Party: http://www.democrats.org/volunteer/call

Print Your Own Flyers

The Democratic Agenda: http://www.democrats.org/agenda
Voter Protection Info: http://www.democrats.org/voterprotection

There's another thing I want you to be aware of as your and your neighbors head to the polls today.

There have already been widespread reports of voter suppression by Republican operatives, ranging from apparently legal harassment of Democratic voters to potentially illegal efforts to keep voters away from the voting booth.

This isn't new for Republicans. It's a cynical art that the Republican machine has refined for years, and each election brings new variations on oldtactics that target minorities and minority-heavy areas.

Here's what you need to know:

1) If you're a registered voter, do not leave your polling location without voting. Every registered voter is entitled to cast a provisional ballot.

2) If you're in line before the poll's closing time, you are entitled to vote.

3) You're entitled to view a sample ballot at the polling place before voting.

4) If you experience any problems voting or observe any irregularities, immediately call 1-888-DEM-VOTE to report the incident. In addition to providing your polling place information, by calling 1-888-DEM-VOTE you can record a complaint or speak with an election protection monitor. The line is available in English and Spanish.

You can also report any voting irregularities or problems online:

http://www.democrats.org/voterprotection/report

Democrats are committed to ensuring that every rightful voter has the freedom to cast his or her ballot free from intimidation or undue burden, and we've deployed voter protection teams across the country to make sure that's possible today.

There's one more thing I want to tell you.

Today is not the end of anything. All the Democrats we elect, from city council to Congress to governor, will still have a lot of work to do after they take the oath of office in January.

And so will we, the committed Democrats who have promised to build a new kind of political party that doesn't evaporate after each election.

For the first time in our party's history, we're prepared to take the investments we made to win an election and turn them into permanent investments in our party.

We've spent millions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours to turn a year and a half of work on our 50-state strategy into an unprecedented 50-State Turnout operation.

We've seen in the last few weeks the dramatic impact we can have when we fight in places the Republicans take for granted. We've made a demonstrable difference in this election and laid the groundwork for future gains in even the most "red" parts of the country. When the final results are in, we'll report to you on the impact it's impact.

But right now you still have the opportunity to do something about this election.

Please take that opportunity while you can.

Thank you.

Governor Howard Dean, M.D.

P.S. -- If anyone who hasn't been paying attention to this election until today asks you what Democrats stand for, point them right here: http://www.democrats.org/agenda

Comments (3) «

Check out Olbermann and GOTV

1

Veneita on November 7, 2006 at 08:08 AM

Is it just me or shouldn't anyone voting:

a) Know 1-3 above
b) Know where to find 1-3 above
c) Know who to call if they don't know 1-3

(ie the same ppl they would call to find their polling place)

d) Be vaguely familiar with :

http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting/intro/intro.htm

No offense, but as a Democrat, I'm embarassed by people that "fall for" schemes that so OBVIOUSLY circumvent their civil rights. For god sakes, aren't we the party of the informed? I mean, maybe "green party" voters are fooled by this stuff, but GET REAL.

2

DrMnemonic on November 7, 2006 at 06:13 PM

Howard,Nancy,Harry Reid,

Please DO NOT COUNT the Chickens before they hatch. Right Now,because of the Dems flauting the fact that they might have the Speaker of the House. This alone, may JUST have triggered the white male backlash. What do I mean by that, it is this, what is hated by the white man more than the hate for a African-American male, it is a SMART White Women. Nancy is a SMART white woman who riles up the anger of the White Rural Male who will and is coming out to vote. If you don't think so then look to GA when the better of the two Dem candidates was a woman and had a better chance of beating the incumbent white male Republican, the white males switched over during the primary to knock her out and NOW the WHITE MALE Republican is winning by a landslide.

This is why Hillary Clinton cannot be the Presidential candidate for the Dem Party in 'O8 even if Barak Obama was her running mate. Please do not have the only viable African-American male run against the only viable smart white women. If anything put them on the ticket together or JUST leave Barak Alone.

If the Democrats to NOT take BOTH the House and the Senate, it says that Karl Rove and Bush still know how to OUT campaign the Democrats. They still know how to stick together and get their vote out and we just as Dems cannot get it together. The Republican voters even when it is obvious they do not like what they see, still vote Republicans, as evidence by some of the interviews on TV today.
The Dems still DO NOT have a unified message, what Pelosie says, what Reed says are NOT what Dean says are NOT the SAME. WE MUST sing out of the same hymnal, if you get my drift.

The Dems MUST relearn how to engage their BASE and expand it, and it will never be the rural white male, he is gone forever. I applaud Howard Dean for trying to re-engage the Dem base and re-igniting the Grassroots efforts e.g., canvassing and phonebanking a real Field Operations Plan.

The make up of America is changing.

3

mightylou1 on November 7, 2006 at 07:01 PM

« Hide Comments

Comments are now closed for this entry.