With this year’s critical mid-term elections rapidly approaching, we must act now to ensure that all eligible Virginians are able to vote and have their votes counted. We know that when Virginians vote, Democrats win. And we want Senator Warner and Democratic Congressmen and local candidates to win this fall.
This year, Virginia’s GOP-sponsored photo ID law (which is more restrictive than Mississippi’s) goes into effect. According to the Virginia Department of Elections, about 150,000 Virginians are registered to vote, but lack Virginia drivers’ licenses/other DMV ID – many of these voters are likely to be students, elderly, or people with low incomes. We must help these and other Democrats vote and have their votes count.
We are putting in place our network of lawyers and other experienced election advocates and we need your help. Georgina Cannan, the Democratic Coordinated Campaign’s voter protection director, is leading the campaign’s efforts to:
· Set up a Voter Helpline, 844-840-2014, that will answer voters’ questions from now through Election Day;
· Recruit volunteers to answer voters’ questions, help voters get photo IDs, work as “Poll Observers” inside and outside the polls on Election Day, staff the boiler room on election day, observe the day-after-election local electoral board meetings, and follow-up on provisional ballots;
· Prepare training manuals and other education materials;
· Organize live and web training sessions; and
· Establish the incident reporting and resolution systems.
The Democratic Party of Virginia (DPVA), through its Voter Expansion Task Force and Voter Protection Council is assisting in these activities and has also set up a web page to provide basic information on voter registration, photo ID, absentee ballot and other issues – http://www.vademocrats.org/your-vote.
We need your help on Election Day, November 4, 2014, and/or with pre- (and post-) Election Day actions. You need not be a member of the Virginia bar. No prior experience is required, and we will provide you with the hour-long live or web training and manuals.
Please sign up here: http://www.markwarnerva.com/voter-protection
Please also forward his email to your colleagues and friends, and let us know if you want to be a leader for your law firm or law department.
Voter protection is the most fun a lawyer can have on Election Day; it helps people exercise their fundamental right to vote; and it helps Democrats win. Please sign up now. Also feel free to contact me if you have any questions, comments or suggestions.