I'm not a lawyer, but many of my friends and family members are. I went through my address book and then wrote and sent the letter below to all my friends who are lawyers, giving them information on how they can stop voter suppression. I wanted to post this diary to give you the links and encourage you to copy this and send it out yourself.
If you have more anecdotes, I'll keep adding to this.
Please Rec this; I'd hate to see this plummet to the bottom of the diary list without enough people being able to copy and email it to their own lawyer friends.
To my lawyer friends (and a few spouses of lawyers whose emails I don't have) -
I can count on, well, one finger the number of days I regret choosing business school over law school.
Today is that day.
As many of you know, I have spent the past 6 months volunteering for the Obama campaign, canvassing, phone banking, registering voters, donating money, driving voters to polls, talking about the issues. But none of that will matter if votes don't count. Reports are streaming in about voter suppression efforts on the part of the GOP.
In Florida alone, the Obama campaign will be running a 5,000+ lawyer "one-day law firm", and I urge you to be part of similar efforts in your state or a neighboring one. Lawyers and law students are being asked to take 11/4 off to help the massive effort to ensure that everyone's vote counts as it is intended to. (http://www.bloomberg.com/...).
"But that won't be a problem in my solidly Democratic state" some of you are thinking. Hopefully, you're right. But check with the campaign; they may know of suppression efforts we are not aware of in a particular pocket of your state. Or travel to a nearby state - New Hampshire, Virginia, Pennsylvania.
What you can do:
- Sign up to help on election day: http://my.barackobama.com/...
- Forward this email to your lawyer friends. We cannot have too many people making sure this election isn't stolen.
Here's an article Where the GOP Could Get Dirty detailing which states have the highest likelihood of suppression attempts, and stating "It's been another campaign in which the Republican Party has whipped up a media frenzy over the mostly nonexistent problem of voter fraud -- a much-hyped concern that, in reality, could abet a far more serious threat: Republican dirty tricks aimed at suppressing voter turnout in heavily Democratic areas." http://www.salon.com/...
Here are some reports of attempted suppression/intimidation around the country:
From Pennsylvania: An anonymous flier circulating in African-American neighborhoods in North and West Philadelphia states that voters who are facing outstanding arrest warrants or who have unpaid traffic tickets may be arrested at the polls on Election Day. http://www.philly.com/...
From Virginia: During the past few weeks, people who posted "Obama for President" signs in their yards in Clarendon and in the nearby neighborhood of Lyon Park received this letter. Addressed to "Dearest Neighbor," the letter informed them, in a tone meant to be friendly and helpful, that
they should consider the possibility that they are supporting Obama to cover up for their own, hidden racism. http://www.ireport.com/...
From West Virginia: Since early voting began last week, a handful of Putnam and Jackson county residents have complained that touch-screen machines switched their votes from Democratic to Republican candidates in several races. http://www.dailymail.com/...
In California: Jacoby's firm has been "slamming" voters in the Riverside County area, telling them that they were signing ballot initiatives but actually flipping their party affiliation to the Republican Party from the Democratic Party. http://calitics.com/...
From Illinois: A Republican election official in north suburban Lake County is using a slew of "compromised" voter registration forms to stoke concern about the potential for election fraud on November 4. If she gets her way, County Clerk Willard Helander may even institute a de facto voter ID law in certain precincts, which has the potential to disenfranchise countless voters. http://www.progressillinois.com/...
From North Carolina: Also at the polling site was a group of loud and angry protesters who shouted and mocked the voters as they walked in. Nearly all were white... People were shouting about Obama's acknowledged cocaine use as a young man, abortion and one man used the word "terrorist." They also were complaining that Sundays are for church, not voting.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/...
Thank you.