Posted on 11/04/2002 3:46:18 PM PST by Ragtime Cowgirl
Democratic News
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bill Buck
October 8, 2002
(202) 863-8148
As Prepared for Delivery
REMARKS BY DNC CHAIRMAN TERRY McAULIFFE
VOTING RIGHTS PRESS CONFERENCE
OCTOBER 8, 2002 - WASHINGTON, DC
Thank you, Donna, for your leadership.
Election Day is exactly 4 weeks away. Which means 100 weeks have passed since the debacle of Election Day 2000. It took almost all of those 100 weeks for our leaders to agree on an election reform bill that addresses the flaws in the current system. Now we have a bill, and I'm pleased that we do, thanks to the diligence of leaders like Chris Dodd, John Conyers and Steny Hoyer.
But what took so long? What took so long was the stubbornness of Republicans, including the President himself, who wouldn't tackle the problem head-on -- who wouldn't break the gridlock -- who didn't seem concerned about disenfranchisement and democracy denied.
Almost 100 weeks. And as a result the reforms in the bill -- assuming the President signs it -- won't take effect until 2004. Which means we need to proceed this November 5th under the old, broken system.
With 28 days to go, what we have instead of reform is this patchwork of different laws, different standards and different systems. No consistency, no uniformity, no rhyme or reason.
Clearly, if this election is going to be fair, the people who care about fair elections -- the Democratic Party -- will have to step up to the plate. So we are moving forward with a comprehensive "Promote and Protect" program that will do just that -- promote the right to vote through a voter education "know your rights" outreach effort and protect the right to vote through vigilant monitoring of the polls and on-site Election Day intervention.
Our goals are simple: to help ensure that every American citizen is able to register to vote; to help ensure that every American can enter a polling place on Election Day without impediment and cast a ballot and to help ensure that every vote is counted.
Our promote and protect program will be run out of the DNC's Voting Rights Institute, led by Donna Brazile, which has been up and running for a full year and a half. Early in 2001, VRI held hearings and town meetings to gather information about voting rights violations. And then we were very active in the 2001 elections, with hundreds upon hundreds of lawyers on-site at the polls in New Jersey and Virginia, successfully helping voters who were having problems.
This year, with more elections and more at stake, VRI will be stepping up its activity. Our "Promote and Protect" program will be a strong presence in states around the country. Let me give you an idea of the kinds of activities we'll be initiating in conjunction with our state Democratic parties:
We will have door-hangers, which in addition to reminding people to vote, will outline their voting rights. We will have sample ballots, so people will know what to expect when they get to the polls. We will have Public Service Announcements, recorded by prominent celebrities, reminding people of their voting rights. We are directing our campaigns to recruit poll workers, who will be there to guide voters through the process. We will have thousands of lawyers on the ground, so that no one is intimidated into foregoing their rights.
We are working to accommodate the needs of non-English- speaking voters by calling for full implementation of Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act, which mandates minority language voting assistance. In Denver, we have recruited bilingual poll workers, and we're working to fill the need for 50 such workers in Maryland's Montgomery County.
In Alabama, we're making the case for Spanish ballots, and the Kentucky Party Chairman has also asked for translated ballots.
We'll also take specific steps to ensure that the polls open on time, and we will help train people to use the latest voting technology. And tomorrow night, at the Warner Theater here in Washington, we will hold our second in our series of "Every Vote Counts" concerts, to raise money for voter education efforts.
But we also know that we can't do it alone. There are some places where we need reinforcement in the form of people who carry the authority of the federal government. After what happened during the Florida primary on September 10th, we are not going to stand on the sidelines while a third Florida election is bungled. So I've written to Attorney General Ashcroft, asking him to exercise his power under Section 8 of the Voting Rights Act and send a delegation of observers to monitor poll sites and ballot counting locations in every Florida county.
We also have an innovative new voting rights protection feature that I want to demonstrate today. It's a toll-free assistance line, a pilot program, which will be up and running on Election Day. So if you've gone to the polls and they say you're not on the registration list or they claim you need to show multiple forms of ID -- you can call and get help.
The number is 1-866-VOTE-411. You'll be prompted to enter your 5-digit zip code -- you can leave a recorded message about the problem you're having -- and then you'll be transferred either to a Democratic Party "Promote and Protect" call center or your local County Board of Elections.
No political party or media outlet or non-profit has the ability to monitor every polling place where there might be problems. But using this new state-of-the-art technology, we can capture voting rights problems in real time, as they are occurring, and address the situation immediately.
Let me just close on this note. This week, members of Congress will cast one of the most important votes an elected representative can face -- on the issue of authorizing military action and sending young Americans into battle.
Any action that we may take against Iraq will fundamentally be about protecting freedom and democracy. But if we're going to risk American lives for democracy, we absolutely must take every step to ensure that our democratic infrastructure here at home is alive and well.
That's why we've invested so much in this program. And that's why the integrity of these elections - and any American election - is so important.
For more information, please go to the website of the Democrats or
Make copies and pass it on: 1-866-VOTE.411 DNC VOTER PROBLEM PHONE BANK. Let the DNC hear all accounts of voter fraud and abuse as they consider what legal action to take on election day. 
When you're done calling the DNC, call the good guys at the ACU: Report Voter Fraud @ (703) 836-8602
Keep a detailed, written record.
Copy and pass it on! (^:
....click....
Hello, hello,....operator I think I've been Clintonized....
It would be VERY interesting if some Freeper were to call the DNC RATLine on Tuesday and act as a legitimate Democrat, reporting that he/she is seeing a group of "renegade" Democrats stuffing ballots in a given precinct and it has to be stopped or else "we'll just be acting like Republicans!" ... and see how they react.
Said Freeper should also tape the phone call, of course.
The DNC Hypocritic oath: No Fraud Left Behind!!
FGS
Lol! Dems. are taught to roll over for the Party before they're taught to speak.
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