BIKE: Fwd: Swing the State

[Phil Hallmark]

I tried to come up with a bike-related thing to say, but couldn't. This 
is important enough to take the chance of banishment to post. If you 
can't afford the time to physically go, then money always helps. One 
reputable clearing house for all these volunteer opportunites is swing 
the state at: http://www.swingthestate.org/

Regards,
Phil Hallmark


----- Forwarded message from Swing the State <emilyfarris> -----

Friends,

There are 29 days left until the election.  That's 696 hours. How many of those
hours are you going to spend to make sure Bush isn't re-elected? Are you going
to spend just one hour en route to and at the polls?  How many additional hours
are you going to spend bitching about Bush?  What if you spend four of those
hours working a phone bank, calling people in swing states making sure they're
going to vote?  What if you took 48 or 36 of those 696 hours and actually went
to a swing state to help get out the vote?

How many of us wish we would have given one hour, four hours or even 24 or 48
hours leading up to the last presidential election to make sure that people
were going to get out and vote?

Whether you have an hour, a day or a week, we're going to make it super-easy for
you to do just that in five VERY IMPORTANT states (or from where you live).

Read on.

=================================================================

NO MORE FICKLE FLORIDA

Help ACT make history in Florida! (http://www.floridagotv.com)

America Coming Together (ACT) presents the Florida Mobilization Center
(http://www.floridagotv.com), the way to directly plug yourself in with the
largest grassroots voter mobilization movement in Florida's history.

The 2004 elections will be won on the ground — state by state, county by county,
precinct by precinct— through person to person contacts and conversations in
communities all over the country. As a volunteer in Florida, you will be a
vital part of making those contacts and having those conversations.

To get involved in the Florida GOTV simply visit http://www.floridagotv.com

Questions? Contact Sharif Corinaldi (sharif).

=================================================================

PRECIOUS PENNSYLVANIA

In addition to our weekly Saturday carpools from NYC to different locations in
this very important swing state, we'll be organizing a mass exodus from NYC to
Pennsylvania the days leading up to and day of the election. Our major
Pennsylvania affiliate, ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for
Reform Now) plans to contact each of their newly registered voters SIX TIMES
before November 2. And they want you to join their "Army of Volunteers."

Whatever time you can spend in Pennsylvania from Friday, Oct. 29-Tuesday, Nov. 2
would be a HUGE help.

Contact Debra Cleaver (debracleaver) to get involved. Please let her
know if you have a car and a place to stay while you're there.

=================================================================

OH, OHIO!

So there always has to be some kind of corrupt bullshit around election time. 
In 2000 it was in Florida, this year it appears to be in Ohio.

As many of you know, the Ohio ACT (America Coming Together) offices have
successfully registered tens of thousands of new likely Democratic voters.
They've even registered entire counties, we're talking 100% of eligible voters
registered. But, voter registration cards don't come out of no where
(technically, they do grow on trees, if you really want to go there). And so,
they photocopied some, as many states do.  One of the major newspapers even
printed a voter registration card that people filled out and mailed in to the
Secretary of State, Ken Blackwell. Now, Mr. Blackwell (a Republican) has
decided that any forms not turned in on 80-lb. card stock are invalid!!! He
then said these registrants have to reapply.  But there's no time!  The Ohio
voter registration deadline for the November 2nd election was this last
weekend. In addition, he will not allow people to cast votes on provisional
ballots if they go the wrong polling place, even if the voter is not at fault.

The Republicans have made it abundantly clear that they will lie, cheat and
steal their way to the Ohio electoral votes.  But we're not going to let them! 
Fortunately, ACT is going to sue the hell out of Blackwell and Cleveland County
has refused to go along with him. BUT STILL, OHIO NEEDS YOU!

We're looking for volunteers in Ohio who can have their own transportation when
they're there.  So, if you can get yourself to Ohio and either rent or borrow a
car, we'll find you a place to stay and put you to work.

To set up your trip to Ohio contact Sharif Corinaldi at sharif or
646-286-0670.

=================================================================

CARRY COLORADO

We want Colorado to go Blue— and it's SO CLOSE right now!  Basically, if we win
Colorado and New Hampshire we've won...

So, if you've ever wanted to experience the beauty of the Rockies, now is the
time.  Our Colorado affiliates are offering housing and transportation while
you're there (and there's even some talk of some free food!) for volunteers who
want to go and help GET OUT THE VOTE. All you have to do is get yourself there.

To set up a trip to Colorado contact Kenna Stormogipson at kennasg.

=================================================================

NORTH CAROLINA...DO IT!

If we can increase the Democratic voter turnout in Wade County, North Carolina
by just 15% then we can take North Carolina!  And if we take North Carolina and
all the states that went to Gore in 2000, we win the election 282 to 256
electoral votes—even if Florida goes to the Republicans (shudder). Sounds easy
right? Then get your ass to North Carolina!

If you can get yourself there, we'll find you a place to stay. Contact Molly
Jacobs (mollysjacobs) to set up your trip.

=================================================================

ELECTION PROTECTION
The Election Protection coalition needs volunteers to stand up and help defend
voting rights on November 2nd. This group is non-partisan and not affiliated
with Swing the State. We do, however, strongly support their vital mission of
ensuring a fair election.  You can get more information or sign up with them
directly at http://www.workingforchange.com/electionprotection

=================================================================

PHONE BANKING
Can't leave your city but want to help?  Find a phone bank in your area...or
better yet, start one! To find a phone bank near you or to set one up in your
home town visit http://www.democracyinthepark.org. It's getting chilly so maybe
you'll move your democracy from the park to the bar, but let's get it done!

=================================================================

OTHER HELPFUL WEBSITES
www.acthere.com
--the easiest way to get plugged into what America Coming Together is doing near
you
www.cosmopolity.org
--a website that does the best job I've seen of compiling all of the progressive
happenings.
www.musicforamerica.org
--a website that lets you sign up to work at a show (sometimes great bands, I
saw Slick Rick) for free

Oh, and Swing the State has a Friendster profile.  If you're on, too, make us
your friend.  First Name: Swing the State, Last name: Swing the State.


Emily Farris
Swing the State: Your Anti-Bush Travel Agency
(917) 548-8472
emilyfarris
www.SwingtheState.org

IM: EmilyFarris
Blog:  www.eefers.com

"Idealists are foolish enough to throw caution to the winds. They have advanced
mankind and have enriched the world." --Emma Goldman





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