Coalition launched for vote protection

September 18, 6:21 AMAtlanta Politics ExaminerEric Ture Muhammad

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Volunteers take calls at voter services hotline at 1-866-our-vote in Washington, DC.

ATLANTA--With early registration, voting and absentee ballot deadlines approaching, organizers have launched possibly, the largest--ever, nonpartisan voter participation coalition in the country with more than 100 organizations and seemingly the full spectrum of American citizens. in an effort to ensure and protect the rights of citizens to vote in this year's national election.

Election Protection 2008 seeks to empower voters at the ballot box this November 4 with toll-free hotline numbers, celebrity public service announcements, voter education and full legal weight behind matters that already threaten voter participation in courtrooms throughout the nation.

"This historic election deserves a historic election protection effort," said Barbara Arnwine, Executive Director, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. "This major coalition will offer comprehensive resources with one simple goal -  to ensure all eligible voters are given the opportunity to exercise their rights," she told the Examiner during a news conference held Sept. 17. Member organizations joining Ms. Arnwine a the news conference included the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Rock the Vote, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) and the National Congress of American Indians.

On the Internet, the Election Protection resource, www.866ourvote.org, features real time voter information and extensive instructions and advice on how voters can make sure their voices are heard. In addition, there is a Spanish speaking website, www.veyvota.org, providing Latino voters with information on the electoral process and to help resolve issues that might arise. The toll-free, hotlines (1-866-OUR VOTE for English speakers and 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA for Spanish speakers) connect voters with questions or problems to legal experts that can offer impartial and confidential advice.

Registration deadline for the general election is October 6, 2008 (by law, it's the 5th Monday before the election you intend to vote). This year's early voting begins September 22, 2008. County registrars must receive all absentee ballots by the close of business on Election Day. Voter registration and absentee ballot request deadlines vary by state and are not often publicized said organizers, "effectively shutting out eligible voters."

For Georgians, you may click here for all pertinent information regarding voting matters, polling stations and identification concerns by clicking here.

THE BARRIERS OF LANGUAGE, FELONIES AND IDENTIFICATION

Efrain Escobedo, Director of Voter Engagement, NALEO Education Fund spoke to reporters of the pressing need for bilingual access for voters--a glaring problem in past elections and throughout this year's primary contests.

"NALEO, along with five other national community organizations, and the largest Spanish-language media outlet, UNIVISION, have joined together to collaborate with Election Protection to protect voting rights and to assist voters through Election Day," he said. Escobedo continued stating, that NALEO wants to see laws fully enforced so as to protect Americans from discrimination and believes electoral reform is necessary to enhance Latino participation.

"We've come a long way in recent elections, but not nearly far enough," chimed Angela Ciccolo, Interim General Counsel/Secretary for the NAACP. "In fact, in certain areas, and for certain populations, voting is increasingly daunting. A process riddled with catches, hurdles and uncertainty," she lamented.

One of the NAACP''s major concerns she said for this election cycle is the federally mandated Centralized Voter Registration Database, where apparently nationwide numbers and information do not reflect accurate information from the states they're polled from. 

The unlawful and illegal challenge of national identification such as Tribal Identification cards and language have served as major obstacles for Native Americans across the country in every election. Jackie Johnson, Executive Director, Native Vote, a nonpartisan effort of the National Congress of American Indians announced the establishment of legal teams "with knowledge of Indian Country and the election law to staff the Election Protection Hotline, to deploy to problem precincts, to communicate with local election officials" and document any irregularities. This year Native Vote has targeted 18 states with large Native American populations that they believe will have tremendous impact  on the election outcome.

"We've heard it many times before:this is the election that young people will make a difference," began Heather Smith, Executive Director for Rock the Vote. "That's been true for a few elections now and it's more true than ever this election," she said. "The reality is that many young people are routinely disenfranchised. Problems with registration--particularly among the student population--are common. Changes in a young person's life such as graduation from college, can impact registration rolls and ability to vote. Small things like whether a college puts an expiration date on its ID can stop young people being able to vote in certain states," she said.

Rock the Vote's "Rock Your Rights," campaign encourages youth to become involved in the political process by voting and have boasted of registering this year alone 1.2 million new voters.

Another initiative undertaken by this coalition is to correct the misinformation of concerning citizens with felonies, prior convictions or pending cases. Though laws vary from state to state, many are eligible to vote under certain circumstances. An example being the state of California. If you are an ex-felon you can register and vote as long as you are not under current incarceration.

Jonah Goldman of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law moderated the news conferences and said that Election Protection was formed in 2000 after millions of Americans, "those who are traditionally disenfranchised, were denied their right to vote" via illegal threats and intimidation, poor voter education, voting machines that did not work, early precinct closings and inadequately trained poll workers.

Organizers maintain the hotlines and websites will aggressively work to overcome many of the prior challenges faced.