Hello All:
Halloween just ended the other day, but the evil that walks among us may well still have the last say unless we do our part. To show you what vampires and goblins look like, you need look no further than these miscreants and all that they've done to harm us to realize that it will take more than prayer to bring in the victory during this mid-term election.
In case you've forgotten the bad old days of repuglycon evil, just take a look at these two. It's enough to chill your bones - thank goodness there are conscientious Americans throughout the US coming together to put a stop to this. All you have to do is get up out of your easy chair, go and vote. Takes less than 5 minutes to do so, but will have a lifetime affect on what happens here in the US, as well as in your own local community.
Let's put an end to this reign of terror and error once and for all! VOTE BLUE!!!
Prominent Faith Leaders & Voters with the Nation’s Largest Faith-Based Voter Turn-Out Program, Available to Discuss GOTV Focus on Infrequent African American and Latino VotersFinal Push for 2014 Election Comes as “Let My People Vote” Electoral Program Surpasses 400,000 Person-to-Person Conversations
Washington, D.C. – Today, clergy and faith voters with the PICO National Network, the largest grassroots, faith-based organizing network in the country, are focused on the massive neighbor-to-neighbor, non-partisan Get Out The Vote effort to turnout African-American and Latino voters who don’t usually vote in mid-term elections.
This weekend, volunteer faith leaders from PICO surpassed conversations with more than 400,000 voters about faith and voting and still plan to talk to thousands more as polls open tomorrow.
PICO organizations are working in key battleground states, such as Florida, Louisiana and Colorado, as well as on critical ballot initiatives including Question 4 in Massachusetts regarding earned sick time and California’s Proposition 47 that would reclassify many non-violent felonies as misdemeanors.
In these final days leading up to tomorrow’s elections, PICO logged live conversations with more 10,000 targeted voters a day. Almost 6,000 volunteers were scheduled to work over the weekend in the big GOTV push, demonstrating the power of the power people of faith can have when they stand up for their family, neighbors and coworkers.
The Let My People Vote program has recruited and trained more than 10,000 volunteer leaders, developed new community relationships and met voters where they are: in the pews, on their phones, and at their doors in Florida, Louisiana, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
PICO volunteers are emphasizing the importance of voting to advance racial and economic justice issues at the heart of what it means to be a person of faith in America—especially in the wake of the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson and the lack of action on immigration reform.
“As a person of faith, every single conversation we’re having on the doors or on the phones is a sacred act that will bring people to the polls whose voices would not otherwise be heard,” said Rosie Washington, a lead community organizer with the Micah Project in New Orleans. “As faith voters, especially those of us in the African American community, we cannot and will not stand on the sidelines while families around us are struggling to make ends meet, to find good jobs, to take care of their kids, and to get back on their feet.”
“The Let My People Vote program is about the moral obligation to stand for forgiveness, redemption and restoration,” said Desmond Meade, PICO’s Faith in Florida State Director of Live Free campaign. “This is God’s work with a focus on empowering our families, our friends, and our communities to make sure the voices of voters who have been marginalized or locked out of the voting process are engaged and have the opportunity to fight for what they believe in.”
Pastor Michael McBride, director of the PICO’s Live Free campaign said that people of faith have the power to change the crises our country faces. “David in Psalm 28:2, says ‘Hear my cry for mercy, as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your most holy place.’ With those words in mind, the faith community will work through Election Day to empower and engage voters in black, Latino, and other communities to help heal our nation by voting and encouraging our neighbors to do the same,” said Pastor McBride. “When everyone in our community votes, elected officials cannot ignore us.”
**GOTV FOCUS**CALIFORNIA
PICO California
GOTV FOCUS: Made up of 19 non-profit organizations representing 450,000 families through 400 congregations, schools and neighborhood institutions, PICO California is working within a coalition to say YES to Proposition 47, a law would reduce felony convictions to a misdemeanor 10,000 non-violent offenders. GOTV activities are happening in various locations throughout the Bay Area, Central Valley and Southern, CA
Communications Contact: Trineka Greer, PICO California Communications Director, trineka@PICOCalifornia.org, c: (916) 813-9428
COLORADO
Together Colorado
GOTV FOCUS: Together Colorado's Let My People Vote is a civic engagement campaign with a goal of 400 shifts of phone banking and door knocking to reach more than 6,000 voters.
Communications Contact: Stephanie Gustafson, 720-838-6392, stephanie@togetherco.org ; Lead Organizer, Patty Lawless, patty@togetherco.org
FLORIDA
Faith in Florida
GOTV FOCUS: Hundreds of voters expected to participate in Florida’s early voting as expression of faith. Pastor Johnson available for interviews after 12:00 PM ET
Communications Contact:
Faith in Florida—Carlos Vogel, O (727) 726-8617 ext. 227 ? M (727) 483-8854; Rhoda Thomas (On-Site), rthomas@faithinflorida.org; Lead Organizer: Pastor Carl Johnson and Ms. Kim McCray - mccray.kim@gmail.com; Ms. Deborah Dion, dion.deborah@gmail.com
INDIANA
IndyCAN
GOTV FOCUS: At the press conference participants, including diverse religious leaders, those turning their lives around after a sentenced served, and immigrants who fear deportation, will announce an alternative vision for the justice center and share why they believe incarceration-first policies contradict the shared values of IndyCAN congregations that everyone is redeemable and deserves a place in our community.
Communications Contact: Juard Barnes, (317)-285-9256; juard@indycan.org
LOUISIANA
The Micah Project
WHAT: GOTV Mega Phone Bank and Prayer Vigil Monday
WHEN: Monday, November 3 at 6 PM
WHERE: Micah Office, 2001 Simon Bolivar
GOTV FOCUS: Forty Micah leaders and supporters will make phone calls to their community to remind them about the importance of voting. Leaders will then end the evening with a candle lit prayer vigil on Simon Bolivar to bless the central city community and to ask that the votes cast on November 4th will be the first step to transforming the area.
Organizer Contact: Rosie Washington, (502) 682-5659; rosie@micahpico..org
MASSACHUSETTS
NEW YORKBrockton Interfaith Community (BIC), Essex County Community Organization (ECCO),
Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN)
GOTV FOCUS: PICO Federations in Massachusetts continue weekly phone banking and canvassing with some focused outreach to the Latino community in addition to engaging voters on Question 4 regarding earned sick leave for Massachusetts workers.
Communications Contact: Lead Organizer- Julie Aronowitz, juliearonowitz.bic@gmail.com, 508-587-9550 (office) or 857-272-9872 (cell),
# # #PICO National Network is the largest grassroots, faith-based organizing network in the United States. PICO works with 1,000 religious congregations in more than 200 cities and towns through its 60 local and state federations. PICO and its federations are non-partisan and do not endorse or support candidates for office. PICO urges people of faith to consult their faith traditions for guidance on specific policies and legislation. Learn more at www.piconetwork.org.
New York State's Board of Election Candidate Rostrum is 92 Pages Long!!! Needless to say there is a lot at stake here - but the space allotted is much too small to list all the races. I am personally endorsing the re-election of Governor Andrew Cuomo for governor of the State of New York. Other than than, if you need to find out who's running in your district (Assembly, State, etc.) log on to
NYS 2014 Elections
General Election Candidate List (
209KB)
ATAC (Avenge The Ancestors Coalition) Michael Coard, President
Brothers and Sisters: In my capacity as a radio show host for more than ten years, a trial attorney for 20 years, a cultural activist during my adult lifetime, and an African descendant throughout my entire lifetime, I submit the attached list of my endorsed candidates in the November 4, 2014 General Election....unlike the average voter, I have the time to research the candidates and the issues and also have the experience to know the good from the bad (as well as the not-so-bad from the truly bad), particularly in regard to what they have done or not done to benefit our community.
By the way, voting must be merely one part of a one-two punch. In other words, voting by itself is not nearly enough. You also must engage in political activism afterward. That's why I call it "Vote & Voice!" which means to put candidates in office and then vocally demand that they do the right thing for Black people and poor people.
In closing, it is necessary for me to point out that there are at least three important reasons why you must vote for somebody (even if it's a write-in candidate, including yourself if you want). One: The first rule of warfare is to do exactly what your enemy doesn't want you to do. And the enemy is so-called white supremacy, which has created modern day "poll tax and literacy test" anti-voting obstacles like photo ID. Two: By voting, you increase your chances to get called for jury duty...stopping courthouse racism in its tracks. Three: Your ancestors fought, died, and won the battle for you to elect people like Dave Richardson, Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson, Adam Clayton Powell, Chicago Mayor Harold Washington, revolutionary lawyer/Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba, and many others. Thank you.
In Unity,
Michael Coard, Esquire
One Liberty Place
1650 Market Street, 36th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
MichaelCoard@msn.com
11/4/14 PENNSYLVANIA GENERAL ELECTION ENDORSEMENTS
Governor-
TOM WOLF
Lieutenant Governor-
MIKE STACK
State Senators-
INES REYES
(District 4)
ANTHONY HARDY
WILLIAMS (District 8)
State Representatives-
W. CURTIS THOMAS
(District 181)
JORDAN HARRIS
(District 186)
JAMES ROEBUCK
(District 188)
VANESSA BROWN
(District 190)
RONALD WATERS
(District 191)
LOUISE BISHOP
(District 192)
MICHELLE BROWNLEE
(District 195)
STEPHEN KINSEY
(District 201)
US Representatives-
ROBERT BRADY
(District 1)
CHAKA FATTAH
(District 2)
Charter Change Ballot Questions-
1- YES (Supports
environment concerns)
2- YES (Creates a
new Department of Prisons and supports re-entry programs)
3- YES (Borrows
$137,295,000 to improve transit, streets, sanitation, and parks)
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS- AND
PROTECT THEM!
How
can you find the location of your polling place?
Call the Citizens’ Access Center
at 866-268-8603.
What
time do the PENNSYLVANIA polling places open and close?
They open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00
p.m.
Who
is legally permitted to vote?
Basically, anyone who is registered is
permitted to vote.
What
type of identification is needed in order to be permitted to vote?
Although you might not necessarily need any
if you have voted before, you should play it safe by taking with you your
driver’s license, non-driver’s license, passport, state identification, federal
identification, military identification, employee identification, student
identification, or voter’s identification card. Or you should take your utility
bill, bank statement, current paycheck, or government paycheck (but those
bills, statements, or paychecks must have your name and address pre-printed on
them).
What do you do if you are not permitted to vote when
you get to the PENNSYLVANIA polling place?
Immediately
call the Committee of Seventy at 215-557-3600 or the Voter Registration Office
at 215-686-1590. If that doesn’t work, immediately demand a “Provisional
Ballot,” which you have an absolute right to receive and that ballot can serve
as a kind of temporary vote until the problem is resolved.
Are
people who have been convicted of crimes permitted to vote?
If you have been convicted of a felony but
have been released from jail (or from a halfway house), you are permitted to
vote. If you have been convicted of a misdemeanor and even if you are still in jail (or in a halfway house) for that misdemeanor, you are permitted to vote. But obviously, it would have to be done by absentee ballot if you are still in jail (and probably if you are in a halfway house as well).
If you are on probation or house arrest or are a released parolee and that probation or house arrest or released parolee status is for either a felony or a misdemeanor, you are permitted to vote.
If you have traffic tickets, owe child support, and have any situation like that, you are permitted to vote.
Are you permitted to wear buttons, tee-shirts, etc. regarding a particular candidate?
In Philadelphia, the answer is yes. You are permitted to “endorse” a candidate by (passively) wearing buttons, tee-shirts, etc., but you must immediately leave the polling place after you vote. You are not permitted to “electioneer” for a candidate by (actively) campaigning.
For more information, call
attorney Michael Coard at 215-552-8714,
the ACLU at 215-592-1513, or
the Committee of Seventy at 215-557-3600
Now that you know - you need to share this information - spread the word - make sure you make it viral - TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4 (TOMORROW) IS ELECTION DAY. GET OUT AND VOTE - MAKE YOUR ANCESTORS AND YOUR FAMILY PROUD.
Stay Blessed &
ECLECTICALLY BLACK
Gloria Dulan-Wilson
www.gloriadulanwilson.blogspot.com
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