CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Prevent misery at the polls this fall
Help get this letter to election board members (the people who work behind the
desk at the polls--Judge of Election, Majority / Minority Inspectors, Majority /
Minority Clerks). Encourage them to add their names. Click Here for the letter.
The situation:
A "voter ID for all voters" bill has already passed the PA state House. It is now in
the State Senate's Appropriations committee.
Why it's a problem:
If it passes and is signed by the governor, here's what would happen: law would
require photo ID for every voter, starting this fall. We, the election board
members, will only be able to accept State photo ID's, possibly student ID's
(depending on format) and possibly "Retirement or Nursing Home ID's"--which is
a sort of ID that does not actually exist. It will become a crime for the poll officials
to allow someone to vote the normal way if they don't have an ID, or if the
information doesn't match "perfectly enough." Even if it's our own mother,
daughter, or next door neighbor. Even if they are in the district register, and their
signature matches. Even if they had lived in the same place, under the same
name, and voted at our poll for years. Even if they have a disability that makes it
hard for them to vote with a provisional ballot.
The bill does not specify what a "perfect enough" match means. Are "Anne Marie"
and "Annemarie" legally the same? "Joe" and "Joseph"? What about women
with ID in their married names, and registration in their maiden names? With the
legal threat over the election board members' heads, if we are even a little
unsure, we would have to make that voter vote with a provisional ballot. In a
small polling place, this is a big hassle. In large polling place, it's basically a
train wreck. Lines could back up for hours, as the pollworkers and the
voters struggle with provisional ballots. (The bill does not include any
extra money to train the pollworkers to do all this, either.)
Why we're trying to reach election board members:
We are looking for election board members--current or very recent
past members--who are willing to add their names to a letter (see below). We
need citizens to help us find phone numbers, and also to reach out to any
election board members they know, if they can.
How to pass this along:
You can give people the URL www.votingpain.wordpress.com or
http://votingpain.wordpress.com/ (same thing). You can forward this email. You
can print the letter. You can read it to someone over the phone. Whatever
works.
What to do if you are an election board member:
You can email or call to give us permission to add your name. You do not need
to print, sign or send the actual letter. Leave a message at 412-208-4913 or
send email to "Joy Sabl" . If you absolutely must add a
comment or clarification to be able to sign, you can include a (brief, nonpartisan)
comment along with your signature. We cannot promise to include signatures
made "dependent on comment," but we will do our best. Please say your name,
your election board office, your county, and identify your municipality, ward
and/or district. If you like, you can tell us how long you've been serving, too. (For
those in Allegheny Co, your name and the municipality of the poll are enough.
We can look up your ward, district, and official role.) Example: Joy Sabl, Judge of
Elections, Pittburgh 14-17.
"I'm not an election board member, but I'm a_____. Can I sign?"
We cannot accept signatures from people who are not election board members.
If you are not an election board member, you can do your part by getting this to
your election board, and asking them to sign. This is an all volunteer effort by
a handful of election board members. It is not funded or organized by any
group.
What else can I do?
You can also help prevent misery by updating your ID to perfectly match your
voter registration, or updating your registration to perfectly match your ID. Just in
case. And tell your friends, too. Again: election board members ONLY: please
add your name by contacting "Joy Sabl" or call voice mail at
412-208-4913.
Thank you for doing whatever you can to stop the PA fall
elections from being really, really painful for all of us, and for our voters.
Thank You!
Joy Sabl
African American Leadership Debate
2011 PENNSYLVANIA ELECTION: IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
Last day to REGISTER before the primary |
April 18 |
Last day to apply for a civilian absentee ballot |
May 10 |
Last day for County Boards of Elections to receive voted civilian absentee ballots |
May 13 |
MUNICIPAL PRIMARY |
May 17 |
First day to REGISTER after the primary |
May 18 |
Last day for County Boards of Elections to receive voted military and overseas absentee ballots (must be postmarked no later than May 17) |
May 24
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Last day to REGISTER before the NOVEMBER election |
October 11 |
Last day to apply for a civilian absentee ballot |
November 1 |
Last day for County Boards of Elections to receive voted civilian absentee ballots |
November 4 |
MUNICIPAL ELECTION |
November 8 |
First day to REGISTER after November election |
November 9 |
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