I searched and didn't find any mention of this shout out for help. I also hope I didn't overplay the
Urgent part of the title. ;-)
Just about everyone knows this story by now, but here's a short recap:
When Sen. Rick Santorum (R., Pa.) encouraged everyone in state politics to help the Green Party earn a spot on the November ballot, at least one group answered the call: Santorum donors.
Fourteen Santorum supporters gave $40,000 to fund a petition drive that has allowed Carl Romanelli to collect about 100,000 voter signatures to qualify for the Senate race. That's 33,000 more signatures than required, and double what independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader gathered here in 2004.
Now, Bailey Childers, DNC Regional Field Organizer, is asking for help.
Do you live in or around Harrisburg? Do you have a little or a lot of time to help review the signatures on Romanelli's petition to get on the ballot? If the answer is yes, then you need to read the following email I received today:
PA Dems Need Help Counting Green Petition Signatures
Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2006 13:48:52 -0400
From: "Bailey K. Childers" <childersb@dnc.org>
To: (deleted to protect privacy of recipient)
Subject: URGENT: Call for volunteers to review petitions
Please forward widely.
Thank you to all the folks who helped us review petitions last week. We are now at Step 2 in this crucial process.
Beginning Monday August 14th at 8:30am, the Democratic Party needs to have 9 volunteers assist in the petition challenges against the Green Party (by order of the Commonwealth Court). It is important for us to have as many persons as possible available to assist us in this effort. As many of you know, the Green Party submitted an overwhelming number of illegitimate signatures to have their candidates placed on the ballot. Of more than 93,000 filed, approximately two-thirds of those are strongly suspected to be fraudulent. It is essential to the successful election of Bob Casey that we accurately review these petitions. Meals will be provided to those folks helping!
Please reply to Bailey Childers, childersb@dnc.org, or call her at 717-920-8470 or on her cell at 903-918-7160 immediately if you can give a few hours to help.
Ideally, here is the schedule we need to fill next week:
Days: Monday through Friday
Shifts: 8:30-12:00
1:00-5:00
Please get in touch with Bailey ASAP if you can fill one of these slots, give a few hours, or help out for the entire day. (NOTE: I edited the schedule that was originally contained in the email, because it was in grid form, which doesn't readily post here at Dkos. Maggie Mae)
Thanks so much,
Bailey
--
Bailey Childers
DNC Regional Field Organizer
Pennsylvania Democratic Party
300 North 2nd St.
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(903) 918-7160 (cell)
(717) 920-8470 (office)
It is very important to verify each and everyone of these signatures. If the supposition that two-thirds are invalid, it will take alot of people to help scan them all. So, if you've got the time and can get to Harrisburg, please get in touch with Bailey, as soon as possible. Don't let Santorum, who must feel he can't win on his own, get away with this sleazy attempt to syphon votes away from Casey this fall.
(I know this isn't a very good diary, but I felt that it was important enough to get the word out to warrant admonition from the diary police. If the consensus is that it's a waste of space, I'll delete it. I'm easy.)