MAKE A PLEDGE/TAKE A FRIEND!!!!

[qwlauren35]

Tomorrow... here in NC, it's going to rain.

We had "early voting" in our state from the 16th to the 30th. Many of us thought it would make life easier. Heck, it only took ME 15 minutes... but not my husband. He put it off until the last day. I went with him - he probably wouldn't have voted if I hadn't. We stood in line for FOUR AND A HALF HOURS. Along with about 700 other people. They only had two computers to use to look up everyone's name and make sure they were eligible to vote. And only 5 booths... So even after you got up to the name check, there was another line...

We will lose if folks aren't willing to stand in line. We will lose if people aren't willing to stand in the rain/cold.

So, for everyone who WANTS THIS MIRACLE, please go with a friend and/or make a pledge to stay no matter how long it takes. Please tell folks to clear their calendars and not schedule something critical to do immediately after voting. (If you're working the polls, please consider handing out donuts, discount halloween candy, pretzels, drinks.) And if you get lucky, and you get done voting in 15 minutes or a half-hour, just be grateful... because some of us are going to be in line for a while...

but if we pull this off, it will be worth it.

[qwlauren35]

1. Voting Lines in Florida...

Please pass this on to anyone who hasn't decided whether to vote yet.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2004_10_31.php#003880
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Still in Florida.
This was one of the most moving, meaningful days of my life.

My job is to get people to the polls and, more importantly, to keep them there. Because they’re crazily jammed. Crazily. No one expected this turnout. For me, it’s been a deeply humbling, deeply gratifying experience. At today’s early vote in the College Hill district of East Tampa -- a heavily democratic, 90% African American community — we had 879 voters wait an average of five hours to cast their vote. People were there until four hours after they closed (as long as they’re in line by 5, they can vote).

Here’s what was so moving:

We hardly lost anyone. People stood outside for an hour, in the blazing sun, then inside for another four hours as the line snaked around the library, slowly inching forward. It made Disneyland look like speed-walking. Some waited 6 hours. To cast one vote. And EVERYBODY felt that it was crucial, that their vote was important, and that they were important.

And there were tons of first time voters. Tons.

Aside from some hassles from the Republican election commissioner ( … , I actually had an amazing experience. No, actually, in a way because of that I had an amazing experience. Because these people know that the system that’s in place doesn’t want them voting. And yet they are determined to vote.

The best of all was an 80 year old African American man who said to me: “When I first started I wasn’t even allowed to vote. Then, when I did, they was trying to intimidate me. But now I see all these folks here to make sure that my vote counts. This is the first time in my life that I feel like when I cast my vote it’s actually gonna be heard.”

To see people coming out — elderly, disabled, blind, poor; people who have to hitch rides, take buses, etc — and then staying in line for hours and hours and hours... Well, it’s humbling. And it’s awesome. And it’s kind of beautiful.

Sometimes you forget what America is.

I think there’s hope.

ES

[qwlauren35]

2. Voting Lines in Florida...

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2004_10_31.php#003880
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Still in Florida.
This was one of the most moving, meaningful days of my life.

My job is to get people to the polls and, more importantly, to keep them there. Because they’re crazily jammed. Crazily. No one expected this turnout. For me, it’s been a deeply humbling, deeply gratifying experience. At today’s early vote in the College Hill district of East Tampa -- a heavily democratic, 90% African American community — we had 879 voters wait an average of five hours to cast their vote. People were there until four hours after they closed (as long as they’re in line by 5, they can vote).

Here’s what was so moving:

We hardly lost anyone. People stood outside for an hour, in the blazing sun, then inside for another four hours as the line snaked around the library, slowly inching forward. It made Disneyland look like speed-walking. Some waited 6 hours. To cast one vote. And EVERYBODY felt that it was crucial, that their vote was important, and that they were important.

And there were tons of first time voters. Tons.

Aside from some hassles from the Republican election commissioner ( … , I actually had an amazing experience. No, actually, in a way because of that I had an amazing experience. Because these people know that the system that’s in place doesn’t want them voting. And yet they are determined to vote.

The best of all was an 80 year old African American man who said to me: “When I first started I wasn’t even allowed to vote. Then, when I did, they was trying to intimidate me. But now I see all these folks here to make sure that my vote counts. This is the first time in my life that I feel like when I cast my vote it’s actually gonna be heard.”

To see people coming out — elderly, disabled, blind, poor; people who have to hitch rides, take buses, etc — and then staying in line for hours and hours and hours... Well, it’s humbling. And it’s awesome. And it’s kind of beautiful.

Sometimes you forget what America is.

I think there’s hope.

ES