Proud Black Voter Blog

Frederick Douglass on Barack Obama

2012-01-14T21:00:00.013-06:00

128 years ago, Frederick Douglass provided the explanation for why people are so hard on President Obama. The quote below is worth remembering next time we are invited to pile on.

"Though the colored man is no longer subject to barter and sale, he is surrounded by an adverse settlement which fetters all his movements. In his downward course he meets with no resistance, but his course upward is resented and resisted at every step of his progress. If he comes in ignorance, rags and wretchedness he conforms to the popular belief of his character, and in that character he is welcome; but if he shall come as a gentleman, a scholar and a statesman, he is hailed as a contradiction to the national faith concerning his race, and his coming is resented as impudence. In one case he may provoke contempt and derision, but in the other he is an affront to pride and provokes malice."

Frederick Douglass
September 25, 1883

Republicans Target Black College Students with Voter Suppression Laws

2012-01-13T14:00:00.001-06:00

As Black people across the nation face the challenge of keeping access to the franchise of voting while Republican legislators and governors try to suppress the Black vote to derail President Barack Obama's reelection efforts, Black college students find themselves a primary target of those strategizing to keep people of color away from the polls.

New voting laws that went into effect in several states could impact the turnout of young college voters in several states, including Florida, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia and Texas. Many of these states have a number of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, with tens of thousands of student coming from the New York City area as well as other states with large Black populations.

Laws that now require college students to show government-issued ID work to exclude them from the voting process because lawmakers know they are unlikely to have such identification. Student IDs will not be accepted at the polls in several states, even if the IDs are from state institutions.

Read the rest of the New York Amsterdam News article.

President Obama Speaks on the Economy

2011-12-08T08:00:00.001-06:00

Many people told me that the remarks that President Obama made at Osawatomie High School in Osawatomie, Kansas were clear, direct and important. I thought that it would be important for all Proud Black Voters to have a chance to hear (or read) the entire speech.

What did you think about this speech?

The High Cost of a Voter ID

2011-12-07T10:00:00.001-06:00

Guest Blog Post by: Faye Anderson.

I spent the weekend at the Random Hacks of Kindness hack-a-thon at Drexel University. The event brought together developers and subject matter experts to build mobile and web apps “to make the world a better place.”

I’m a voting rights advocate so I shared the problem facing millions of registered voters who, for the first time, must present government-issued photo ID in order to vote. Voters without a photo ID can apply for a free voter ID, but they need a photo ID to establish their identity.

Some background: In eight states – Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin – registered voters must show government-issued photo ID to vote.

In Crawford v. Marion County Election Board, the U. S. Supreme Court held that states with strict photo ID requirements must provide free IDs. While the voter ID is free, the document a citizen must produce to establish his or her identity is not free. Those documents include birth certificates and passports. Of course, if a voter has a passport, there would no need to get a voter ID.

The cost of obtaining a birth certificate ranges from $5.00 in Indiana to $25.00 in Georgia. In addition to the state fee, an applicant will have to pay for postage and photocopying (if requested by mail), transportation (if requested in person) or the VitalChek.com fee (if ordered online).

The strict photo ID requirements will disproportionately impact young and minority voters.

Voting rights groups, including the ACLU and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, are challenging the constitutionality of photo ID laws, as applied. But the countdown to Election Day 2012 has begun and voters without government-issued photo ID need assistance right now.

So on Sunday, we presented a prototype for the Cost of Freedom App, a voter education tool.

Developed by Joe Tricarico, John Campbell, Maneesha Sane and yours truly, the mobile and web app will provide voters with the information they need to apply for a voter ID. If they do not have documents to establish their identity, users will be able to type in their address to find out how to obtain a certified copy of their birth certificate and the cost. If they want to apply in person, they will be given the office location, office hours and directions using public transportation.

You don’t have to be a developer to help build the app. If you want to get involved, join the conversation on Facebook. On Twitter, use the hashtag #costoffreedom.

NAACP Leads Fight Against Voter Suppression Tactics

2011-12-06T12:15:00.003-06:00

My favorite era in American history was known as 'Reconstruction'. This was the era after the end of slavery when our nation had more African Americans in congress, Senate, state legislatures and statehouses than any other time in our nation's history. Of course, the white power structure couldn't stand to see people of color doing so well in politics ... so they began to find ways to 'block the vote'. Poll taxes. Counting jellybeans in a jar. White sheets and hoods. The era of 'Jim Crow' came into fruition and Blacks were driven out of congress, Senate, state legislatures and state houses.

Fast forward to 2008. The first election of an African American to the presidency. An unprecedented number of Black and Latino voters. The white power structure couldn't stand to see people of color doing so well in politics ... so they again began to seek out ways to 'block the vote'. Several states have passed laws requiring voters to present specific types of photo identification and proof of citizenship to vote; creating new rules for voter registration drives; reducing early voting days and voter registration periods; and further preventing ex-felons from voting. 'James Crow, Esquire' hopes to drive President Obama out of the White House.

There are 14 states who have passed such laws this year: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

These are some the findings documented by the NAACP in their recently-released report: 'Defending Democracy'.

NAACP: Defending Democracy Report

View more documents from Wayne Hicks

The NAACP collected this information about early voting advocacy by Black churches in Florida, hoping to convince the Justice Department to strike down a slew of new state voting laws it claims are intended to thwart growing minority participation at the polls ahead of next year’s presidential election.

NAACP President Ben Jealous said the NAACP wants to diligently document how the laws affect African Americans and Latinos, and provide the attorney general ample evidence for finding the laws unconstitutional.

"In some ways, these tactics are not Jim Crow. They do not feature Night Riders and sheets … This is in fact, James Crow, Esq.,” said the Rev. William Barber, NAACP North Carolina president and a pastor. ”...Jim Crow used blunt tools. James Crow, Esq. uses surgical tools, consultants, high paid consultants and lawyers to cut out the heart of Black political power."

For example, a law passed in Florida reduced its early voting period from 14 to 8 days, including the last Sunday before Election Day.

In 2008, 54 percent of Black voters in Florida cast their ballots early, and Blacks comprised 32 percent of the entire statewide turnout on the last Sunday before the election, said Ryan Haygood, director of political participation for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

"It’s widely known in Florida that Black churches would organize what they called ‘Get Your Souls to the Polls’ where they urged their members, after fulfilling their spiritual duties on Sundays to discharge their civic ones by voting," Haygood said.

Florida’s Black and Latino populations grew during the past decade, inching it closer to being a majority-minority state.

Supporters of the new laws, including at least one group funded by the billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, have said the new laws are designed to prevent voter fraud. Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, said voter ID laws have wide support, including in the Black community.

“It’s hard for me to believe a serious group like the NAACP would come out to say there’s some grand conspiracy to deny people the right to vote,” von Spakovsky said.

Actually, the only person in the Black community that I know who is supporting these 'voter suppression' efforts is Artur Davis. Anyhow, the NAACP has planned a protest march and rally that will start at the Koch brothers’ offices in New York on Saturday. This blog encourages all 'villagers' in the New York area to participate in this protest march.

We also encourage all 'villagers' to sign the online 'Stand for Freedom' pledge.

The Republican Effort to Restrict Voting Rights

2011-12-02T13:15:00.001-06:00

Republican legislatures and governors across the country have launched an unprecedented effort to restrict voting rights among traditionally Democratic voting blocs. Learn more, and find out what Democrats are doing to fight back.

Read the rest of the story.

Michigan Considers New Voter Suppression Laws

2011-10-28T12:30:00.001-05:00

Michigan may soon join states like Florida and Tennessee in implementing major new voting rights restrictions.

A new bill designed to make registering voters more difficult is currently working its way through the Republican-controlled legislature. As Project Vote details, SB 754 would put new regulations in place to require photo ID in order to register, create new restrictions on nonprofit organizations who register voters, and undercut voter registration drives by requiring completed registration forms to be submitted with 24 hours when the election is nearing.

Read the rest of the ThinkProgress article.

Message to Herman Cain

2011-10-27T18:45:00.001-05:00

The greeting on your website says, "we are looking forward to hearing from you", but I'm not sure you will be looking forward to hearing from me, Mr. Cain.

I saw on the Internet that you called the President a liar. I deplore what you are doing and the things you are saying about the President in order to gain favor with these greedy, thieving, selfish, Republicans. How dare you call President Obama a liar. You are a pathetic, obviously brainwashed Black man who has lost his way and his mind. You have had opportunity and a smattering of privilege in America that has made you forget your roots. I despise people like you and Clarence Thomas, and you both have Georgia roots.

What is it with you Black men from the south who grow up in an oppressed environment and end up siding with the oppressor? The recent case of Troy Davis in Georgia is an excellent example of the present day oppression and legal lynching that still takes place in that state and in this country. The political party that you praise so highly is presently enacting laws to suppress the Black vote, the student vote, and many elderly voters across this entire country. Yet, you choose to stand with people who display such obscene and un-American behavior. You would throw Black people (including the President of the U.S.) and others under the bus to curry favor with these non-caring and hedonistic people.

You were there when your Republican cohorts cheered about the death penalty which disproportionately affects Black men and women in this country - some of whom have been proven to be innocent. You should be ashamed to stand with these people and yet, you appear to be proud of such an association.

Yes, President Obama does believe in fairness and sharing the responsibility of the tax burden, it is not socialism nor is it class warfare, and he is not a liar for saying it. That kind of rhetoric from you and those with whom you identify is nothing more than a weak defense for the greedy and despicable philosophy that you choose to embrace.

You had the unmitigated gall to tell Wolf Blitzer on CNN that two thirds of African American people are brainwashed and incapable of thinking for themselves. You are surely touched in the head. The millions of us who are capable of thinking for ourselves - we know who is really brainwashed - you - brainwashed whiter than snow.

Do you really think those people with whom you stand on the debating platform really respect you and see you as their equal? They as well as others see you as a joke and a person who is engaging in buffoonery. A Republican majority House and Senate would never pass your "so-called" 999 plan. They would never deem it in their best interest. Besides, there are many who believe your plan is a coded message from Satan. If you flip the numbers they become the 666 plan.

You will never be President of this country, and I thank God for that. I must say, you certainly live up to your last name. Just as Cain in the Bible so blatantly slew his brother, you are equally willing to do the same politically and economically to millions of Black and middle class citizens of this country. Such behavior is extremely ugly, and need I remind you, Mr. Cain, that God does not like ugly.

P.S. If it wasn't for the fact that I'm having a nice day, I would tell you what I really think about you.

NOTE: I don't know who originally wrote this 'Message to Herman Cain' ... but it expresses my thoughts about the candidate perfectly! -- Villager

Emanuel Cleaver, Artur Davis Spar Over Voter ID Laws

2011-10-27T07:00:00.005-05:00

Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) criticized former Rep. Artur Davis today for his recent support of voter ID laws, saying that his changed stance has led to speculation that the Alabama Democrat is considering becoming a Republican.

“I don’t know why Artur Davis ... wrote what he did,” Cleaver said about an opinion column by Davis that appeared last week in the Montgomery Advertiser. Davis wrote in support of voter ID laws like the one in his native Alabama and alleged that voter fraud is widespread in parts of the Black community.

Read the rest of the article.

Black President, Double Standard: Why White Liberals Are Abandoning Obama

2011-10-26T16:45:00.001-05:00

by Melissa Harris-Perry (The Nation)

Electoral racism in its most naked, egregious and aggressive form is the unwillingness of white Americans to vote for a Black candidate regardless of the candidate’s qualifications, ideology or party. This form of racism was a standard feature of American politics for much of the twentieth century. So far, Barack Obama has been involved in two elections that suggest that such racism is no longer operative. His re-election bid, however, may indicate that a more insidious form of racism has come to replace it.

Read the full article.

Voter Suppression Law in Florida Strikes High School Teacher and Her Students

2011-10-25T19:30:00.001-05:00

In an early example of the chilling impact that the Florida GOP's new Voter Suppression law can have, a dedicated high school Civics teacher in Volusia County may now be facing thousands of dollars in fines.

Jill Cicciarelli was trying to get her New Smyrna Beach High School students' year off to a dynamic start, with an exercise of Democracy in Action - helping the 17-year-olds through the process of pre-registering to vote.

But Ms. Cicciarelli, along with almost everybody else in Florida, was unaware of a brand new set of vote-blocking rules, motivated by partisan political gamesmanship and forced into law by state GOP leaders like House Speaker Dean Cannon, Senate President Mike Haridopolos, and Governor Rick Scott. Other party leaders in waiting like Rep. Will Weatherford and Sen. Don Gaetz joined them in targeting traditional areas of strength for the Florida Democratic Party.

Read the rest of this Examiner.com article.

Herman Cain's Black Voter Fantasy...

2011-10-20T02:30:00.002-05:00

Written By Earl Ofari Hutchinson

GOP Presidential Herman Cain again solemnly told a pack of pesky reporters in New Hampshire recently that he was absolutely confident that in a head to head match-up against President Obama that he could snatch a third of the Black vote. The notion that he can get a big chunk of the Black vote for the GOP is intriguing. It’s intriguing because it has a ring to it that appeals to GOP leaders who have long imagined that if they could get the right Black candidate and package their message just right they could draw an appreciable number of Black voters. It’s a good talking point with GOP hawker Herman Cain out there leading the pack of GOP presidential contenders in some early but meaningless straw polls. Herman Cain, though, is hardly the first to step into fantasy land with the notion that the GOP can grab lots of Black votes.

Read the rest of this ThyBlackMan.com article.

Brennan Center for Justice Issues Report on GOP Voter Suppression Efforts in America

2011-10-19T18:45:00.000-05:00

I hope that villagers are taking a close look at the voter suppression efforts that have been implemented by GOP governors and legislators around the nation lately. A new report from the Brennan Center for Justice shines the spotlight on a range of new state laws that make it more difficult to vote, particularly for poor and voters of color.

These new restrictions fall most heavily on young, low-income voters, African Americans, Hispanics as well as on voters with disabilities. These new laws are part of a well-orchestrated campaign to hurt the chances of Democrats to retake control of Congress or retake the White House during the 2012 election.

Based on the Brennan Center’s analysis of the 19 laws and two executive actions that passed in 14 states, it is clear that:

These new laws could make it significantly harder for more than five million eligible voters to cast ballots in 2012.
The states that have already cut back on voting rights will provide 171 electoral votes in 2012 – 63 percent of the 270 needed to win the presidency.
Of the 12 likely battleground states in 2012 -- five have already cut back on voting rights (and may pass additional restrictive legislation), and two more are currently considering new restrictions.

I encourage you to read the report and come to your own conclusions. One thing that is obvious ... the Republicans are pulling out all of the stops to defeat President Obama in the 2012 elections. The question for us ... will we allow voter suppression strategy to work? Or will we register and vote in numbers that exceed expectations?

Herman Cain: 'Imagine There's No Pizza' (Video / Lyrics)

2011-10-18T17:00:00.007-05:00

Soulclap to the folks at the Omaha World-Herald for sharing this video with the world!

Imagine there's no pizza
I couldn't if I tried
Eating only tacos
Or Kentucky Fried
Imagine only burgers
It's frightening and sad

You're lucky you have pizza
To feed for kids for you
Only frosting or cookies
And no dishes you must do
Imagine eating pizza
Each and every day

You may say that it's junk food
But to me it's so much more
It gives my life its meaning
And it makes a lot of dough

Imagine mozzarella
Anchovies on the side
And maybe, pepperoni
Rounds out your pizza pie
Imagine getting pizza
Delivered to your door

You don't have to give up now
On my skateboard I will go
I'll be back in 30 minutes
I just bought Dominoes

All I am saying
Is give pizza a chance
All I am saying
Give pizza a chance
All I am saying
Is give pizza a chance
All I am saying
You've got to, got to give pizza a chance!

GOP on 2012 Vote: Block It, Don't Rock It

2011-10-17T13:15:00.001-05:00

Of all the long-standing traditions characterizing the history of the Republican Party on the American political landscape, voter suppression may be edging its way into first place on the list - if it hasn’t already earned that dubious distinction, thanks to the Sunshine State GOP doing more than its fair share of heavy lifting.

In the latest episode of the serial melodrama that is the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) vs. the Eligible Voters of Florida, Governor Rick Scott’s Secretary of State Kurt Browning has now filed a legal challenge against the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Read the rest of the article here.

Herman Cain Considers Himself a 'Black American'

2011-10-16T13:15:00.001-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Rep. Stacey Newman Explains Voter Suppression Issues in Missouri

2011-10-14T13:30:00.001-05:00

Missouri State Representative Stacey Newman (@StaceyNewman) explains the Republican effort to disenfranchise mainly Democratic voters by requiring photo IDs. Voter impersonation fraud is 100% nonexistent in Missouri. Yet implementing any such law will cost--in these tough times--$20 million over three years.

DNC Chair: Democrats Should Not Take Advantage Of African Americans

2011-10-13T09:30:00.001-05:00

President Barack Obama is facing tough criticism from prominent Black leaders who said he has forgotten the poor. This onslaught makes the work of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Black vote more significant than ever for the 2012 presidential race.

During a roundtable discussion at the committee’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-Fla.) said the Democrat Party should not use Blacks just for a vote in the 2012 election. Instead, she said, members should get to know the community and fight against voter suppression laws that affect not just African Americans, but everyone.

Read the rest of the Seattle Medium article.

Occupy The Polls

2011-10-11T17:45:00.000-05:00

Rachel Maddow: Voter Suppression in Colorado (VIDEO)

2011-10-07T11:30:00.002-05:00

GOP leadership in Colorado seeks to suppress the vote of (a) Hispanics and (b) US troops that are overseas!

Early Voting for November 2011 Elections in Ohio

2011-10-05T11:00:00.000-05:00

I encourage all villagers to remember that our ancestors worked hard to ensure that we have the right to vote. It is up to us to be informed about the issues and it is up to us to VOTE. We are going to try to ramp up the Proud Black Voter blog. In the meantime, this blog will share voting updates that impact on my fellow villagers around the nation.

For example, did you know that 'early voting' for the November 2011 election is up and running in Ohio?

Registered voters may download, fill out, print AND sign an absentee ballot application here (En Español). Applications should be mailed or dropped off at your local board of elections. Do not delay returning your application. By requesting your absentee ballot early, you will help avoid problems that may make it difficult to quickly and easily obtain an absentee ballot.

Not registered to vote? There’s still time! Get your voter registration form here. Remember, you must mail or hand-deliver the registration form to your county board of elections by October 11.

Get more information to protect your vote at http://www.acluohio.org/vote.

Voter Suppression 'Map of Shame' is Now Interactive

2011-10-04T13:30:00.001-05:00

Soulclap to The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law for sharing an interactive map of the voter suppression efforts taking place around the country.

We continue to see voter photo ID laws and other suppressive legislation being brought forward by Republican governors and legislators. These proposed laws threaten to roll back many efforts that have increased voter registration and turnout over the past few election cycles.

Restrictive voter ID laws are truly a "solution in search of a problem," since the issue they purport to address - impersonation of voters at the polls - is practically nonexistent. Therefore, these newly enacted voter photo ID requirements serve only to remove eligible voters from our democracy and are NOT needed to stop potential impersonation voter fraud. So why are these laws being enacted? It is obvious that other, more sinister motivations are at play here.

It seems obvious to most of us that these are thinly-veiled efforts to keep young people, senior citizens, poor people and people of color away from the voter booth in the 2012 election cycle.

This blog seeks to remind you that our right to vote is too important to allow these cynical plans by the Republican Party to continue unabated.

Add your name to the growing number of 'proud Black voters' who are saying, "Enough is enough! Stop these harmful laws and focus on real reforms that will expand access to our democracy for all Americans."

Visit the interactive map to see what your state is doing to suppress your vote!

Faye Anderson: 'Don't Blame African Americans for the Democrats' Loss in 2010 Midterm Elections

2011-10-03T09:30:00.005-05:00

Soulclap to Booker Rising for pointing us to a recent blog post by Faye Anderson: "As day follows night, black voters are blamed when Democrats lose an election. The 2010 midterm election was no exception. Election after election, reports show African Americans turn out on Election Day. Democrats’ problem is with white Democrats who don’t show up or white independent voters who abandon them as they did in 2010."

She continues her commentary: "The U.S. Census Bureau reports African Americans increased their share of the electorate, from 11 percent in 2006 (the last midterm election) to 12 percent in 2010. It is noted that black turnout was 'not statistically different from the record high in 1998.' In 2010, the overall turnout rate was 45.5 percent. White turnout was 46.7 percent compared to 43.5 percent for blacks. There was a gender gap in black voter participation. Black female turnout was 43.5 percent. For black men, the turnout rate was 37.2 percent."

Robert Johnson Suggests One-Term Obama Presidency Will Create Jobs for Black Folks

2011-10-02T09:15:00.000-05:00

Robert Johnson is the former owner of Black Entertainment Television. He made over $3 billion when he sold that company a few years ago. He was a big supporter of Hillary Clinton when she was running for president back in 2008. He allowed his love of Hillary to cloud his view of Barack Obama. He became a very visible 'hater' of candidate Obama back in the 2008 election cycle.

Now we are entering into the 2012 election cycle and it appears that Mr. Johnson wants to continue his efforts to bash the president whenever possible. Here is video interview that he gave to CBS earlier this week:

What do you think about Robert Johnson?

Herman Cain Insults Black Community When He Calls Them 'Brainwashed' for Not Supporting GOP

2011-10-01T13:15:00.000-05:00

Herman Cain is feelin' his oats. He won the Republican president candidate straw poll held in Florida last weekend and now he's shot up 11 points to 3rd place in the polls. He's spouting off that he can win 33% of the Black vote if he runs against President Obama.

I can understand Mr. Cain feeling cocky this week. He's this week's GOP fad in the 2012 presidential campaign cycle. Rick Perry was the the most recent fad. Michelle Bachmann was the fad before that. Heck, even Donald Trump was a fad for awhile.

I cannot understand Mr. Cain being so arrogant and uppity as to indicate that Black people are 'brainwashed' because they don't vote for Republicans. That is how he responded when asked to explain why the Republican Party basically poison for so many African Americans?

Godfather Cain's reply, "Because many African Americans have been brainwashed into not being open-minded, not even considering a conservative point of view. I have received some of that same vitriol simply because I am running for the Republican nomination as a conservative. So it's just brainwashing and people not being open-minded, pure and simple."

My guttural response to Godfather Cain is simple -- 'Phuque You'. African Americans have looked at the GOP platform and policies ... and they've concluded that the GOP simply doesn't care about the Black community or its issues. I still don't have a clue how any self-respecting Black man or woman could be part of the Republican Party.

Time is Running Out: Check Out Your Ohio Voter Registration

2011-09-30T13:15:00.005-05:00

There is still time to check and change your voter registration.

Check your voter registration to make sure you are registered. Check here.

The deadline for voter registration is October 11.

Check to make sure your name and address are current.

Change your name if it’s different from the last time you voted.

Change your address if you’ve moved since the last time you voted.

Note: Ohio does not have online voter registration, nor can you change your name and address online. You must mail or hand-deliver the registration form. The form to change your name and address is the same as the one used to register to vote.

Get your voter registration form and see the drop-off locations here.

Election Day is November 8, 2011.

Get more information to protect your vote at http://www.acluohio.org/issues/VotingRights.

GOP Enacts Voter Suppression Laws to Rig 2012 Election Results

2011-09-24T15:30:00.003-05:00

The Republican Party is trying to suppress the votes of African Americans, elderly and students. Chris Matthews talks about voter suppression on his show recently.

The best way to combat these voter suppression efforts is to learn the new rules and follow them. Voting is our right ... and elections have consequences.

The Great Black Vote (Video)

2011-09-24T08:45:00.001-05:00

This video was created in advance of the 2008 elections. Does it still resonate with the Black community today?

Voter Suppression Strategy by Republican Party in Nebraska and Pennsylvania

2011-09-22T14:45:00.002-05:00

Soulclap to Mirror on America for pointing us to this interview with Melissa Harris-Perry, professor of political science at Tulane University. Dr. Harris-Perry talks with Rachel Maddow about a national effort by state Republican leaders to reconfigure voting rules, independent of principle and to bias the electoral system against President Obama's re-election.

There is some detailed information about how these voter suppression efforts are taking place in Nebraska and Pennsylvania.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Are you hearing about voter suppression in your state?

President Obama to Host Online Town Hall Meeting on LinkedIn Network

2011-09-21T12:45:00.007-05:00

Cross-posted from Electronic Village

We encourage you to mark their calendars for the online town hall meeting with President Barack Obama on LinkedIn Network on Monday, September 26th. This continues a policy of open engagement by the president via social networking channels such as Facebook and Twitter.

Obama will answer questions about jobs and the economy that are posted in LinkedIn Network through their group called, Putting America Back to Work.

The exact time for the event hasn't been announced yet. We do know that the town hall will be broadcast live on both LinkedIn Network and the White House website.

Sasha Obama Respects the Power of Diversity More Than Ohio Gov. John Kasich

2011-01-21T19:30:00.001-06:00

It's good to be the king ... and it ain't bad being the First Daughter either! I see that 9-year old Sasha Obama was able to practice her fledgling Chinese with China president Hu Jintao during his visit to the White House earlier this week.

Chinese isn't a language that we had available on the school menu back in the day when I was in school ... and I don't think that my young 'uns here in the Ohio public school system have that as an option either...

...of course, our highest elected officer in Ohio doesn't go in much for diversity when it comes to languages or the people he works with. Newly-elected Governor John Kasich has managed to pick almost two-dozen people to his cabinet ... and he only wanted to work with other white folks. He hasn't selected any people of color to serve in his cabinet. You have to go back to the pre-Civil Rights days of the 1950s to find an Ohio governor who was that afraid of Black or Brown people.

Elections have consequences ... and Black people are about to learn what it means when people like Kasich and Speaker John Boehner get into office. These are folks who don't seem to want to be associated with African Americans in their workplace.

We need to keep a close eye on these folks over the next couple of years ... and I need to learn a few words of Chinese in case I ever run into young Sasha!

John Boehner Doesn't Like People of Color

2011-01-20T09:00:00.005-06:00

Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. taught us to judge a man by his actions ("content of his character"). I'm applying that logic to Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and the judgment is a simple one -- Boehner doesn't like people of color. He appears to go out of his way to avoid any prolonged interaction with anyone that isn't Caucasian.

I began to notice the lack of racial comfort in Boehner last week when he turned down the offer to ride in Air Force One with the President, First Lady and others to the memorial being held to honor the fallen from the tragedy in Tucson. It didn't make sense to me that Boehner wouldn't go with President Obama to represent the nation at this seminal event of the new year.

In Tucson we witnessed a remarkable event:

A Republican, Catholic judge was killed going to the meeting of a Democratic Jewish Congresswoman who was saved by a Mexican-American intern and successfully operated on by a Korean-American surgeon. The dead were later eulogized by an African American President.

Where was Boehner at the time? He was hobnobbing with some white Republican leaders at some cocktail party. Boehner doesn't have a problem spending quality time with white folks ... especially if there is a cocktail included!

It is worth noting that the cocktail party was being held as part of an effort to unseat GOP chairman Michael Steele ... a Black man ... from the office he held over the past two years.

Boehner turned down an invitation to a state dinner being hosted in honor of Chinese president Hu Jintao and his wife. Boehner is second-in-succession for the presidency ... and he doesn't think it important to participate in this private dinner with the leader of the largest nation on the planet?

I thought perhaps Boehner just doesn't like to wear a tuxedo ... but, then I see that he didn't have any problem going to black-tie state dinner hosted by former president George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush a few years ago in honor of Queen Elizabeth II.

Boehner may joke about 'Being Black' ... but, the reality is that Boehner's rebuke of the African American family in the White House and our nation's guests from China shows a disturbing trend.

I think it is fair to say that Speaker John Boehner doesn't like people of color. What say u?

Republican Controlled House Vote To Repeal Health Care Reform

2011-01-19T18:34:00.000-06:00

In a vote mostly split along party lines, House Republicans voted 245-189 in favor of repealing the Health Care Reform Act. Unfortunately, the dog and pony show ends here, as the Democrat controlled Senate and house majority leader, Harry Reid, will not bring the reapeal bill up for a vote. If for some reason the bill makes it pass the Senate, President Obama reserves the right to use his veto power.

Instead of focusing on reversing a law that protects people with preexisting conditions, that closes the do-nut hole on Medicare prescription plans, that extends coverage to 32 million people, and provide small businesses with insurance subsidies, the House Republicans need to fix the economy and focus on cutting government to reduce the additional trillion dollar debt they added to the deficit for unpaid tax cuts.

Now, I can't wait to see what's next on the Republican agenda...

Where To Vote: 50 States Websites

2010-11-02T13:12:00.004-05:00

If you haven’t voted today (or in early voting) and you still need to know where to go; check out these links to state voting commissions:

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Hampshire

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Vote From Abroad

Please share this information with others. We want to increase voter participation by everyone again in this 2010 election cycle.

Finally, check the link for your state to ensure that it is still accurate!

Will HATE Overcome HOPE in Election?

2010-11-02T00:01:00.006-05:00

Soulclap to the folks at Presente.org for putting this video together. If you had any doubts about voting, this video should help get rid of them.

Tuesday, November 2nd, is Election Day. One factor will determine the outcome: Who votes. Stand up to the bigotry, hatred, and divisiveness that's permeating today's political climate. Vote Tuesday, and urge everyone you know to get to the polls.

Cross-posted from Electronic Village.

Raise Your Vote: We Are STILL The Ones

2010-11-01T00:01:00.002-05:00

Our president came into office with remarkable challenges. In my view he has been a president focused on getting things done. He didn't take easy choices. He didn't go for popular choices. He looked at the issues and problems that were given to him by the former president ... and President Obama worked the issues in a professional way.

He's only been in office for less than two years ... and his accomplishments are beyond comparison to most, if not all, of the presidents that have been in the White House during my lifetime.

Yet, there are many who decided that they didn't want our president to succeed.

I can't control them. I can only control myself. I choose to remember the vibe that ran through our country when Obama was elected as our president. I choose to remind myself and other 'villagers' reading this blog to raise our vote and shout it out -- We are STILL the ones!

Are you with me on this one? Are you going to vote tomorrow? Are you going to ensure that those in your sphere of influence are also going to vote? We are STILL the ones!

Raise Your Vote: Yes We Can!

2010-10-31T00:01:00.002-05:00

We are 48 hours away from the November 2 elections. Each and every person who is reading this blog post needs to make a personal commitment to do two things:

That's it. That's all there is to it. Either you are in favor of seeing our president succeed OR you are rallying with those who want to see him destroyed.

I choose to believe that Proud Black Voters like you and me can make the difference. As we told ourselves two years ago -- YES WE CAN!

What say u?

Russell Simmons and Clyde Williams Meet With Black Bloggers

2010-10-30T06:15:00.001-05:00

Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons and DNC national political director Clyde Williams met with a number of Black bloggers on October 29, 2010. Here are links to the blog posts that resulted from that meeting:

African American Pundit - Russell Simmons and DNC Host Conference Call With African American Online Community
Electronic Village - Russell Simmons Shares His Insights on November 2 Election With Black Bloggers

What are your thoughts on the upcoming mid-term elections?

Russell Simmons Shares His Insights on November 2 Election with Black Bloggers

2010-10-29T16:15:00.001-05:00

Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons and DNC National Political Director Clyde Williams met earlier today with the African American online community ... including the Electronic Village. Simmons noted that he has been traveling around the country in support of President Obama and the Democratic Party. He was in Chicago yesterday ... Detroit today ... and he'll be joining with the President in Connecticut tomorrow.

Simmons' message to the Black bloggers, and through us to our readers, was simple -- The African American community needs to stay alert, stand firm in the faith, show courage, be strong (Cor. 16:13). The faith that we have placed in President Obama is useless without our works. Simmons says that our work in this case is simple:

Vote
Get those that are in our sphere of influence to vote

He acknowledged that there are a plethora of issues that face the African American community including implementation of the health care reform, prison reform, gay rights, poverty initiatives, unemployment and so on. Simmons understands that many in our community feel that the changes we wanted when President Obama took office in January 2009 have not happened fast enough.

The remedy is not to become apathetic. The remedy is not to let our nation go backwards to failed policies and leadership of the past. Rather we need to push forward and harder for the change that we want and need.

Simmons was quick to point out that the Tea Party movement can turn nation backwards in a heartbeat.

"Reaction to our president (by the Tea Party) is violent and scary and it could split our country. We need to stand up. We need to prioritize voting (on November 2) by our people."

DNC Political Director Clyde Williams noted that it is important for the DNC to stay connected with the African American online community as demonstrated by recent meetings with DNC Chairman Tim Kaine and President Barack Obama.

Williams pointed out that there is a clear choice to made on November 2nd when we enter the voting booth. We either want to make our President successful or we want him to fail. He noted the remarkable accomplishments of President Obama in the first 2 years of his administration. However, he also noted that the Republican Party is poised to turn our nation backwards in a number of ways.

Simmons did note that a number of hip-hop and R&B celebrities were also engaged in the work of turning out the vote. He noted that he has been encouraged by his recent visits around the country. Simmons has a sense that the so-called 'enthusiasm gap' is not as wide as it was earlier in the year.

Villagers, I was disappointed that the DNC didn't allow sufficient time for questions from the Black bloggers who were in attendance. I had two questions that I wanted to ask:

African Americans voters remain committed to President Obama and the DNC in a very tangible way. Why was an effort allowed by forces in the Democratic Party to get Florida senatorial candidate Kendrick Meek to step down?
The problem with the November 2 election isn't apathy of Black voters, it is the desertion of white middle class voters who stood with Obama in 2008 ... and now are fleeing to the GOP or Tea Party. What is the game plan to stop the bleeding of white middle class voters?

Those were two questions that I had on my mind. However, the forum didn't allow enough time for me or the other Black bloggers to ask questions.

What question(s) would you want to ask Russell Simmons or Clyde Williams if you had the opportunity?

Every Day is Voting Day in Ohio

2010-10-14T10:15:00.000-05:00

I remember clearly how I felt when I cast my ballot for Barack Obama on November 4, 2008. There were quite a few others that did the same. Do you remember watching Obama's victory speech that night?

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Here in Ohio, every day is Election Day through November 2nd, because early voting has begun. I went down to the Warren County board of elections office last week to cast my ballot. It took about 10 minutes. They even gave me one of those cute "I Just Voted" stickers.

Other villagers who live in Ohio can do the same. All you need to do is go to your county board of elections office or designated early voting location during regular business hours. Additionally, some locations are open on the weekends.

Click here for more information about early voting , including locations and hours of early voting places.

Casting your ballot is the only way to ensure that we can keep building on the accomplishments of the past 20 months.

And early voting in Ohio is an easy process -- you can request an absentee ballot by mail, or vote in person at your county board of elections or other designated early voting location. Can you make a plan for when you'll vote? How will you cast your ballot, and when will be most convenient for you?

The ballot I cast in 2008 played a crucial role in bringing about the change this country needs. Now, I've tried to do the same in 2010.

Tim Kaine Meets With Black Bloggers

2010-10-07T19:30:00.009-05:00

Democratic National Committee chair Tim Kaine recently met with a number of Black bloggers. Here are links to the blog posts that resulted from that meeting held last month:

Electronic Village - Conversation With DNC Chair Tim Kaine
Independent Bloggers' Alliance - DNC Chairman Meets With Black Political and Social Action Bloggers
Indie Business Blog - My Meeting with Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine
Jack & Jill Politics - Pimping of, or Influence of Black Bloggers?
Jeneba Speaks - 7 Things the DNC Should Do to Encourage Higher Than Expected Turnout From Its Base
Jeneba Speaks - Photos of My Meeting With DNC Chair Tim Kaine
Legal Speaks - DNC Chair Tim Kaine Meets With Black Bloggers
MyDD - DNC Chairman Meets With Black Bloggers
Politic365 - DNC Looks to Partner With Black Bloggers at Midterm, Beyond
The Black Snob - DNC's Tim Kaine Talks Community Outreach, Mid-Term Elections With Black Bloggers
TheLoop21 - How the Dems Are Preparing For Mid-Term Elections

Will Black and Hispanic Voters Turn Out for Democrats This Fall?

2010-08-16T09:00:00.023-05:00

by Chris Good (The Atlantic)

African Americans and Hispanics are two important blocs in the Democratic voting coalition that helped elect President Obama in 2008, but will they turn out for Democratic House and Senate candidates in this fall's elections?

In his column for National Journal this week, elections guru Charlie Cook writes about the economy and the midterms and makes a significant point: Blacks and Hispanics have been hit disproportionately hard by the recession during the last two years, and subsequently they're less enthusiastic about voting in the November elections:

Among two of the most important groups in the Democratic coalition, things are much worse. The unemployment rate among African Americans was 12.6 percent the month President Obama was sworn into office but now stands at 15.6 percent. Among Hispanics, it was 9.7 percent when President Obama took over; it's 12.1 percent now. Among job seekers ages 16 to 19, unemployment has gone from 20.8 percent to 26.1 percent (unfortunately, there is no broader breakdown in unemployment numbers for young people). These are the groups that Democrats need to turn out in big numbers; little wonder that polling shows them with substantially lower interest levels than they had in November 2008. When Democrats lost their majorities in November 1994, the unemployment rate was 5.6 percent. When Republicans lost theirs in November 2006, unemployment was 4.5 percent. The latest Blue Chip Economic Indicators survey of 51 top economists reports a consensus unemployment forecast of the last quarter of this year to be 9.5 percent -- the most optimistic of the individual forecasters projected a 9.2 percent rate, the most pessimistic 9.9 percent. The consensus forecast for economic growth in the third quarter was that it would remain the same as has been reported for the second quarter, 2.4 percent, with the fourth quarter little better, 2.7 percent -- simply not enough to generate meaningful job growth.
The lack of a speedy economic recovery figures to hurt Democrats this fall, but the disproportionate jobless rates of African Americans and Hispanics could make the economy's impact on Democratic majorities even more acute.

Two factors that may combat this effect: Obama's popularity among Black voters and the intensity of the immigration debate. In December 2009, as Obama's approval ratings hovered around the 50% mark amid the messy health care debate, 9 in 10 African Americans still approved of him. And after Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed SB 1070, heated immigration rhetoric on the right and the Justice Department's lawsuit against Arizona may win points for Democrats among Hispanics, despite the fact that Congress will almost certainly not be able to pass comprehensive immigration reform before next year's session.

Today, It's Time to Commit to Vote

2010-08-15T06:30:00.000-05:00

We received the following message from President Barack Obama:

Friend --

Eighteen years ago, shortly after graduating from law school, I helped lead a voter registration campaign in Chicago that generated record turnout on Election Day.

That experience taught me one of the most important lessons I ever learned as a community organizer: When people promise that they'll do something -- like voting -- they are far more likely to do it.

That's why one key part of our Vote 2010 plan this year is to get folks like you from across the country to commit to vote, to make sure we get as many people as we can to cast their ballots this fall.

But getting the commitments we need starts with your own promise to make it to the polls and cast your ballot.

Will you please commit to vote in the 2010 elections?

Over the next 82 days, volunteers across the country will spend countless hours calling voters and knocking on their doors, asking them the same question.

And you can bet that I am counting on you to join them in talking to voters in your community.

This election offers a stark choice. We Democrats are hard at work trying to move America forward, repairing a decade of damage and growing an economy based on the Main Street values of hard work and responsibility.

We've fought for and won historic reforms to our health care system, a victory 100 years in the making, and to Wall Street, the most sweeping overhaul of the financial system since the Great Depression.

But after years of policies that landed us in the worst recession since the 1930's, the Republicans who got us there have not come up with anything different from the policies of George W. Bush.

We simply cannot afford to go backwards or let them repeal our reforms. And making sure we can continue moving forward starts with your own promise to cast your ballot in these elections.

Please commit to vote this fall:

http://my.barackobama.com/Commitment

Thank you,
President Barack Obama

What say u? Are you making a commitment to vote in November 2010?

OURstory: Ballot Box

2010-06-01T09:00:00.001-05:00

The Ohio Historical Society is loaning a ballot box from the post-Civil War era to the America I AM exhibit when it comes to Cincinnati Museum Center on June 19.

All proud Black voters know that the 13th Amendment ended the system of slavery in America, while the 14th Amendment granted citizenship and the rights that came with it to African Americans. The 15th Amendment guaranteed the right to vote. These three (3) admendments to the US Constitution had a deep impact on our society.

After the 15th Amendment was ratified, African Americans sent 17 Black representatives to Washington – 15 to Congress and two to the U.S. Senate -- in a remarkable period of American history known as 'Reconstruction'.

I share this information in the hopes it will remind us 21st century citizens that freedom is never free. Many of our ancestors went through quite alot to get us the right to vote. Let's not take it for granted!

Obama Wants First-Time Voters in 2008 to Vote Again in 2010 Elections

2010-04-26T08:30:00.001-05:00

It appears that the Democrats are going to try to counter the usual losses that occur in an off-year election by reaching out to the 15 million voters that supported President Obama's election in 2008. There were many young people, Blacks and Latinos that voted for the first time in 2008. The question is whether or not these same first-time voters will be inspired to vote again in November 2010.

Here is the recruitment pitch from President Obama:

What do you think about this strategy? Will it work?

Absentee Voting for Primary Election (Franklin County, Ohio)

2010-04-24T07:45:00.001-05:00

Absentee voting for the May 4, 2010 primary election is underway with the start of in-person voting at the Franklin County Board of Elections and the mailing of absentee ballots to voters who’ve applied to vote from home.

Absentee voting hours at the board of elections will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays through May 3 and on Saturday May 1 from 8 a.m. to noon.

More than 30,000 have requested absentee ballots by mail since applications were sent to some 600,000 active voters last month.

Some key dates to remember:

Voters have until May 1 to request a ballot by mail or until May 3 to ask for one in person at the board of elections.
Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than the May 3 and returned to the board of elections by May 14.

Absentee ballot applications are also available on the board’s Web site. The site also includes copies of sample ballots for each precinct and Election Day polling locations that registered voters can find by entering their name and home address.

For more information:

Ben Piscitelli
Franklin County Board of Elections
(614) 462-5351
bjpiscit@franklincountyohio.gov

United States Off-Year Election (2009)

2009-11-01T23:15:00.000-06:00

2009 is an off-year for elections. However, we want to encourage voters in California, New Jersey, New York and Virginia to take care of business on congressional and state races. The rest of us will need to surprise folks with high turn-out in our local elections for school boards, city councils and other local initiatives.

Will you be voting on Tuesday, November 3rd?

Congressional Black Caucus Needs Hearings on Taser Torture in America

2009-04-24T13:21:00.001-05:00

Bloggers all over the world are continuing a tradition from last year by participating in the 2nd annual Day of Blogging for Justice against the rising pre-trial electrocutions by police officers against Black children, women and men.

Did you know that 16 Americans have died so far in 2009 ... another 72 North Americans died in 2008 ... all from being tasered with a minimum of 50,000 volts of electricity from the police. [SOURCE]

To put it bluntly ... this shyt needs to stop! It is unacceptable for us to turn a blind eye to this growing trend of taser torture in America.

"The issue is not whether or not the taser can be used in a high percentage of cases to reduce death or physical trauma to officers and civilians alike. The issue is whether or not it's OK to kill the rest through ignorance and rationalization just because it's a small percentage ... The successes aren't the problem - the failures are. They're being told that tasers are non-lethal, so they blast away until people can't move. They're killing people by accident."

In Miami, FL the police used a taser gun on a 6-year old boy at his school. In Cincinnati, OH the law says that a youngster can be shot with 50,000 volts of electricity from a taser gun. Efforts to raise the minimum age for this police action failed.

I've shared other examples on my blog in the past:

Valreca Redden (Trotwood OH) - pregnant Black woman tased by Officer Michael Wilmer when she went to police department for help.

Eugene Snelling (Austin TX) - tased by Officer Thomas O'Connor driving with his mother on Thanksgiving Day.

Donnell Williams (Wichita KS) - deaf Blackman tased in his own home.

Major Lemon (Madison WI) - Blackman tased while holiday shopping at the local mall.

Xavier Jones (Coral Gables FL) - Tasers deployed by two police officers killed this Blackman.

Darryl Turner (Charlotte NC) - unarmed 17-year old Black youth killed when Officer Jerry Dawson decided to fire at him with a taser gun.

James Garland (Miami FL) - unarmed and naked 41-year old Blackman killed by police taser gun while disoriented in the street.

Baron Pikes (Winnfield LA) - Police officer Scott Nugent indicted for murder because he tasered a handcuffed 21-year old Blackman to death.

Terrance Kennedy (Dallas NC) - Police killed another Blackman in North Carolina with their taser guns.

Marcus Moore (Freeport IL) - unarmed 40-year old Blackman killed by police with their taser guns.

Robert Mitchell (Warren MI) - unarmed 16-year old Black youth killed police taser guns.

Gary Decker (Tucson AZ) - unarmed 50-year old naked man killed by police taser guns while in his own hotel room.

Michael Jacobs (Ft. Worth TX) - unarmed, mentally impaired 24-year old Blackman killed by police taser guns on his own front yard in front of his parents.

The successes aren't the problem - the failures are.

How many more Black folks need to be executed by the police before the Congressional Black Caucus does something about it? I encourage all villagers to immediately sign online petition demanding a congressional investigation into Taser Torture in America.

Today is a Day for Blogging Justice so that we can bring as much attention as possible to this issue. I am not asking for elimination of all tasers by the police. I simply want:

Every police officer to remind themselves of the other levels of force that can be used before they pull out the taser.
Taser deaths to be subject to independent and unbiased civilian oversight. Police must not be allowed to investigate themselves.
Congressional Black Caucus to call for hearings on taser torture in America.

Frankly, it is time to end the unwarranted and unjustified deaths of Black children, women and men from pre-trial electrocutions using taser guns.

What say u?

September 29th Electoral College Map

2008-09-29T17:30:00.006-05:00

Obama 286 McCain 252 [Source: Electoral-vote.com]

This is the breakdown of the electoral college map according to recent polls. You can go to Real Clear Politics to create your own interactive map. Each candidate needs at least 270 electoral votes to become President of the United States. In battleground states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, Colorado, and Florida; the polls are changing daily. These three states may hold the key to the election. It's fun to play with the map to see what states are important to each candidate in order to win the election.

The Great Black Vote

2008-09-19T20:34:00.001-05:00

Add Florida, Georgia, Hawaii and Virginia To The October 6 Voter Registration Deadline

2008-09-16T08:00:00.002-05:00

Again, as stated in yesterday’s post: If you’re not familiar with how voting works, you cannot just show up on electionday. You first have to register so that it can be confirmed that you are an eligible voter. If you have not registered by the registration deadline, you will not be able to vote in the upcoming elections.

Here are the links for these 4 states:

Tennessee/Pennsylvania You Have Til October 6th To Get Registered To Vote

2008-09-15T14:01:00.003-05:00

From the ones I am aware of, Tennessee and Pennsylvania appear to have the earliest voter registration deadlines: October 6th.

If you’re not familiar with how voting works, you cannot just show up on electionday. You first have to register so that it can be confirmed that you are an eligible voter. If you have not registered by the registration deadline, you will not be able to vote in the upcoming elections.

In Pennsylvania, the deadline to register to vote is 30 days prior to each election. Applications received after that date will be processed for the next primary, special, municipal or general election. To participate in the 2008 Presidential General Election, register by October 6, 2008.

Make sure you’re registered in time for the next election. Confirm your registration.

Tennessee's voter registration page is here.

If you live in Nashville you can come out to our "Voter Registration and Felon Rights Restoration". The info in the link is for the event we did on Sept 6th, but the one we'll be doing this Saturday is the same time, same place, same thing; just a different date (September 20th)

Another issue that most people are not familiar with; if you haven’t voted in the last two elections you will be purged from the voting rolls. You need to make sure that you are still registered even if you have previously registered. In Tennessee you can check your status here

Also, if you've moved you'll want to be sure that your current address matches up with your voting registrations; less you be caught in the same position as South Carolina’s Governor on election day:

State-by-State Voter Registration Links

2008-09-08T19:08:00.004-05:00

Brothers and sisters ... TIME IS GETTING SHORT for you to register to vote in the November 2008 election! Some registration deadlines are just a few weeks away. Please encourage people to visit the new VOTE FOR CHANGE website.

At this site people will be able to find out if they are registered to vote; get registered to vote; apply to vote absentee; plus find early vote locations.

Registering someone can be a pretty quick and simple process. It literally takes about two minutes to get a registration form completed. If, you’re going to try to register voters, be sure to find out registration requirements for your area and also please remind people about the IMPORTANCE OF BRINGING PROPER I.D. WITH A CORRECT ADDRESS ON VOTING DAY.

Below is the link for each state's Voter Registration Site with information on the requirements to get registered. Also, with so much voter "trickery" many of these sites allow you to check to ensure that you are still registered and to check your polling place.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Hampshire

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Vote From Abroad

Please share this information with others. We want to increase voter participation by everyone in the 2008 election cycle.

Finally, check the link for your state to ensure that it is still accurate!

An Example of What Black Bloggers Can Do - Michelle Obama Vid

2008-08-29T15:18:00.003-05:00

One of the main reasons why it was important for Black bloggers to be at the convention was to document the happening and the history from the perspective of Black, unfettered by corporate interest; so taht we are always able to tell our story.

I've posted these many post from the credentialed bloggers at the convention to show that regular people can get involved and be apart of the process.

Here's a video clip of the Black Caucus of the DNC captured by blogger Adrianne George:

You can check out more from Adrianne at the Black Women In Europe blog

European Based Black Blogger Interviews Democrat Abroad

2008-08-28T09:38:00.007-05:00

Adrianne minds the Black Women In Europe blog.

She's originally from D.C. but lives in northern Europe; I don't remember which contry for sure, so I won't say.

Check out this good quality video, of her speaking to I believe a delegate for Democrats abroad who votes in New York but lives in India:

To learn how to vote from overseas, go here.

African American Blogger Gives Inside Look at Behind The Scenes Dem Convention Wrangling

2008-08-27T19:26:00.003-05:00

From Shawn at the Dallas South blog

Here's an audio report on what took place at the Texas Delegation meeting this morning in regards to Hillary Clinton's name being put into nomination.

Video From Afrospear Bloggers At the Convention

2008-08-27T16:26:00.001-05:00

Blogging team Jack and Jill eating breakfast in Denver:

Jack of Jack and Jill Politics heading to the Bloggers lounge. Check out the behind the scenes tour at the convention:

Black Blogger Provides Sites And Scenes From The Democratic Convention

2008-08-27T10:19:00.004-05:00

From Oliver Willis:

So here are some shots from today. I got to go on the floor for about a half hour and its pretty insane. At any given moment you could run into Ed Rendell. Not, like “Oh hi Ed Rendell”, but physically BAM Ed Rendell is on the floor and Oh My God who will bitch about MSNBC’s coverage of Obama now?

I saw Bob Schieffer walking through the hallways with an entourage as if he were relevant, as well as Jeff Greenfield talking to someone in the hallway like he knows what he’s talking about. I’m writing this from Nerd Central The Blogger Lounge, which is a row of wired up desks and some couches with way too bright lights. It is sort of a weird way to experience the convention, not quite as fake as tv, but not quite real enough to compete with reality. We’ll see how it goes.

I know some hate when I make these kinds of observations, but Fox News’ Megyn Kelly proved that in person, not everything is bad about Fox. On to the photographic nonsense (including the most ridiculous picture of Anderson Cooper ever):The religious far right continues to preach their message of love and inclusion

Go here to see the rest of the pics, including some of your favorite (or not so favorite) celebrity reporters.

Black Bloggers Connect at Democratic Convention

2008-08-26T20:33:00.002-05:00

This Comes from African American Political Pundit blogging from Denver as a credentialed blogger.

Updating My blog regarding DNNC
by: aappundit
Tue Aug 26, 2008 at 10:54:49 AM EDT

It has taken me just a bit longer time to blog, (as I'm sure you have noticed). It was a wild and wonderful 1st day and evening at the DNC. I had the opportunity to meet plenty of people from across the nation and around the world.

I had the opportunity to meet Oliver Willis for the first time, I also had the opportunity to meet for my first time, Cheryl Contee aka Jill Tubman, of Jack and Jill Politics. I also had the pleasure of meeting Gina a great blogger at What About Our Daughters.

Cheryl Contee, Baratunde Thurston aka Jack Turner, and Oliver Willis were getting around town big time. I'm still trying to catch up with the folks from Culture Kitchen and Shawn Williams from the Dallas South Blog

I spent the whole day and evening with my wife and Adrianne at the Big Tent and then at the DNC Convention. The activites were amazing. Adrianne and I had the opportunity to be interviewed on BBC Radio at the DNC convention. Here is a link to my interview HERE.

Source BBC Radio:

2325GMT: Blogger LN Rock of africanamericanpoliticalpundit.com predicts the blogosphere will have a "significant" role in deciding the election in November. "It tells the story when you have 120 bloggers coming to the convention," he says. "Millions of people listen, watch and hear what the bloggers say. There is a disenchantment with the traditional media." He spares the BBC his criticism, saying we are "creative media." Cheers, LN.

Listen Listen to LN Rock, (African American Political Pundit)

Stay tuned as I report own the sites, sounds, and politics of the DNC. I will be updating this blog over the next two hours.

Black Bloggers On The Ground At The DNC Convention

2008-08-25T20:27:00.003-05:00

African American Political Pundit utterz a quick podcast about making it to Denver as one of the unfortunate few; but proud black bloggers picked as DNCC media:

http://africanamericanpoliticalpundit.com/

Eight Million African Americans Still Not Registered to Vote

2008-08-21T04:23:00.003-05:00

by Hazel Trice Edney
NNPA Editor-in-Chief

Despite record numbers of voters who turned out during the presidential primaries last spring, eight million African Americans are still not registered to vote.

This according to Rick Wade, African American vote director for the Obama for America presidential campaign.

“Our principle focus has been a 50-state voter registration initiative. I think we all appreciate that if we increase the number of African American registered voters and then increase turnout and get people to the polls on Nov. 4, then Sen. Obama will be the next president of the United States,” Wade says.

Wade explains that the eight million unregistered Black voters accounts for 32 percent of eligible Black voting population nationwide.

Read the rest of this article here.

American Blacks Abroad Must Vote

2008-08-04T09:51:00.003-05:00

From VoteFromAbroad.org:

Cliking the link below will take you directly to a tutorial to help you vote.

The Truth About Absentee Ballots -- They Count!

2008-07-24T08:22:00.006-05:00

Crosspointed from Vote From Abroad Campaign Blog.

Living abroad, absentee ballots are a pain in the butt - but they're all we have. And they DO count.

Too often, we hear "Oh, they don't even count absentee ballots unless it's close." WRONG! Every ballot validly cast is counted. That is a fact. Your vote will count whether you cast it in Paris, France, or Paris, Texas.

OK, so it's true that a victor is usually called before every last vote has been tallied. But that's true for hometown voters, too! On election night, the networks are naming winners with just a small fraction of votes counted. Absentee ballots are all counted before an election result can be "certified". Remember the Florida fiasco? The vote count must be certified by the Secretary of State before it is official. That is the law.

Your vote WILL count. And if it's a very close race, the whole world will be waiting to know how YOU voted.

Here's a list of states and when they count their absentee ballots.

Time for Some Campaignin'

2008-07-16T13:17:00.002-05:00

Send a JibJab Sendables® eCard Today!

Diverse Blogger Pool Selected for 2008 Democratic National Convention

2008-05-29T23:34:00.002-05:00

It turns out that a record number of blogs will receive credentials for the 2008 Democratic National Convention. And it appears that the DNC leadership took time to consider the issue of diversity in this round of selections.

I am very proud of the African American bloggers who raised the red flag when the State Bloggers Corp was announced earlier this month. I am very proud of the private discussions and the very public discussions that allowed the DNC to correct a potential controversy from extending further into the summer. The end result is that our powerful politically-based Black bloggers in the afrosphere will be connecting the rest of us to the sights and sounds of a truly historic event in Denver later this year.

Never before have blogs been included in such strong numbers and provided with resources that will enable them to be the eyes and ears of so many at the Convention.

The following blogs have been credentialed:

2008 Democratic Convention Watch - http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/
43rdStateBlues.com - http://43rdstateblues.com/
AFL-CIO NOW Blog - http://blog.aflcio.org/
African American Political Pundit (BBR #87) - http://aapoliticalpundit.blogspot.com/
AMERICAblog.com - http://americablog.com/
Asian American Action Fund Blog - http://aaa-fund.com/
Badlands Blue - http://badlandsblue.com/
Bagnews Notes - http://bagnewsnotes.com/
Beliefnet - http://beliefnet.com/
Bitch Ph.D. - http://bitchphd.blogspot.com/
Blogger News Network - http://bloggernews.net/
Blogging For Michigan - http://bloggingformichigan.com/
BlogHer - http://blogher.com/
Blue Hampshire - http://bluehampshire.com/
Blue Indiana - http://blueindiana.net/
Blue Jersey - http://bluejersey.com/
Blue Mass. Group - http://bluemassgroup.com/
BlueGrassRoots - http://bluegrassroots.org/
BlueNC.com -http://bluenc.com/
BlueOregon -http://blueoregon.com/
Buckeye State Blog - http://buckeyestateblog.com/
Burnt Orange Report -http://burntorangereport.com/
Calitics - http://calitics.com/
Campus Progress - http://campusprogress.org/
Celtic Diva's Blue Oasis -http://divasblueoasis.blogspot.com/
Change to Win -http://changetowin.org/
Colorado Confidential -http://coloradoconfidential.com/
Cotton Mouth Blog -http://cottonmouthblog.blogspot.com/
CracktheBell.com -http://crackthebell.com/
Crooks and Liars -http://crooksandliars.com/
culturekitchen -http://culturekitchen.com/
Daily Kingfish -http://dailykingfish.com/
Daily Kos -http://dailykos.com/
Dallas South Blog (BBR #84) -http://dallassouthblog.com/
DCist.com -http://dcist.com/
Democracy Arsenal -http://democracyarsenal.org/
Democracy for New Mexico -http://democracyfornewmexico.com/
Democratic Party of the U.S. Virgin Islands -http://groups.yahoo.com/group/democratvi
Democratic Underground -http://democraticunderground.com/
Democrats Abroad Argentina -http://yanquimike.com.ar/
DemoOkie -http://demookie.com/
Digby's Hullabaloo -http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/
Disaboom.com -http://disaboom.com/
Doc's Political Parlor -http://politicalparlor.net/
DoubleSpeak -http://doublespeakshow.com/
Eschaton -http://atrios.blogspot.com/
EverydayCitizen.com -http://everydaycitizen.com/
Fired Up! -http://firedupmissouri.com/
Firedoglake -http://firedoglake.com/
Florida Progressive Coalition -http://flaprogressives.org/
Future Majority -http://futuremajority.com/
Georgia Politics Unfiltered http://georgiaunfiltered.blogspot.com/
Green Mountain Daily -http://greenmountaindaily.com/
Grist Magazine -http://grist.org/
Group News Blog -http://groupnewsblog.net/
HispanicTips.com -http://hispanictips.com/
HorsesAss.org -http://horsesass.org/
HummingbirdMinds Blog -http://hummingbirdminds.blogspot.com/
iLind.net -http://ilind.net/
Indianz.com -http://indianz.com/
Jack and Jill Politics (BBR #9) -http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com/
Jusiper -http://jusiper.blogspot.com/
Keystone Politics -http://keystonepolitics.com/
KnoxViews -http://knoxviews.com/
Las Vegas Gleaner -http://lasvegasgleaner.com/
Left In Alabama -http://leftinalabama.com/
Left in the West -http://leftinthewest.com/
Michigan Liberal -http://michiganliberal.com/
Minnesota Monitor -http://minnesotamonitor.com/
MOMocrats -http://momocrats.typepad.com/
My Left Nutmeg -http://myleftnutmeg.com/
MyDD -http://mydd.com/
New Nebraska Network -http://newnebraska.net/
NewsOne.com - http://newsone.com/
No Rest for the Awake -http://minagahet.blogspot.com/
NorthDecoder.com -http://northdecoder.com/
Obsidian Wings -http://obsidianwings.blogs.com/
Ohio Daily Blog -http://ohiodailyblog.com/
OliverWillis.com (BBR #5) - http://oliverwillis.com/
Open Left -http://openleft.com/
Pam's House Blend (BBR #2) -http://pamshouseblend.com/
Political Base -http://politicalbase.com/
Political Wire -http://politicalwire.com/
PoliticalLunch.com -http://politicallunch.com/
PolitickerNJ.com -http://politickernj.com/
PoliticsOnline -http://politicsonline.com/
Pop and Politics -http://popandpolitics.com/
Prairie State Blue -http://prairiestateblue.com/
RaceWire (BBR #75) - http://racewire.org/
Raising Kaine -http://raisingkaine.com/
Raw Story -http://rawstory.com/
Rhode Island's Future -http://rifuture.org/
Room 8 -http://r8ny.com/
Rum, Romanism and Rebellion -http://rumromanismrebellion.net/
RuralVotes -http://ruralvotes.com/thefield
Scholars & Rogues -http://scholarsandrogues.com/
Seeing the Forest -http://seeingtheforest.com/
Sepia Mutiny -http://sepiamutiny.com/
SquareState.net -http://squarestate.net/
Talking Points Memo -http://talkingpointsmemo.com/
TalkLeft -http://talkleft.com/
Taylor Marsh -http://taylormarsh.com/
The Albany Project -http://thealbanyproject.com/
The Center for Emerging Media -http://centerforemergingmedia.com/
The Iowa Independent -http://iowaindependent.com/
The Natchez Blog -http://natchezms.blogspot.com/
The Seminal - http://theseminal.com/
The UpTake -http://theuptake.org/
The Utah Amicus -http://utahamicus.com/
The Washington Independent -http://washingtonindependent.com/
Think Youth -http://thinkyouth.org/
Thought Theater -http://thoughttheater.com/
TommyWonk -http://tommywonk.blogspot.com/
Tondee's Tavern -http://tondeestavern.com/
Towleroad -http://towleroad.com/
Turn Maine Blue -http://turnmaineblue.com/
Under The Dome.com -http://underthedome.com/
Uppity Wisconsin -http://uppitywis.org/
USAmerica Vota '08 -http://usamericavota08.blogspot.com/
VivirLatino.com -http://vivirlatino.com/
West Virginia Blue -http://wvablue.com/
What About Our Daughters? (BBR #16) -http://whataboutourdaughters.com/
Working Life -http://workinglife.org/
Zennie's Zeitgeist -http://zennie2005.blogspot.com/

Any thoughts as you see this list of bloggers represented at the 2008 National Democratic Convention?

Voting Heads To North Carolina and Indiana

2008-04-23T14:24:00.006-05:00

Well, there is Guam on May 3rd first, but no one seems to be too concerned with the 4 delegate wielding U.S. territory.

Delaware Online states that

"The next big date on the Democratic presidential primary schedule is May 6, when voters in Indiana and North Carolina go to the polls. At stake are 187 delegates.

Even as they courted voters in Pennsylvania for Tuesday's primary, Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton were spending time in North Carolina and Indiana.

Illinois Sen. Obama is looking to North Carolina to regain momentum after Clinton won Pennsylvania on Tuesday. Clinton, the senator from New York, hopes Sen. Evan Bayh will help her carry his home state of Indiana and keep her hopes alive.

Meanwhile, the U.S. territory of Guam holds its presidential contest May 3 with a handful of delegates up for grabs."

Voter registration has passed in Indiana for the primaries; but folks there should still go ahead and get registered for the fall. In North Carolina, you can register through in person and vote through May 3rd. If you wait until election day, May 6, you can only vote if already registered.

Here's to Black voters showing up and showing out for whomever their candidate may be.

You can look at summaries of a litany of contradictory Indiana polls here that lead to a belief that the state is about even right now.

As far as North Carolina, the Real Clear Politics average, an average of all recent polls, has Obama up by 15.5%.

Also in the Real Clear Politics average, Obama is leading McCain nationally 46 to 44, while McCain and Clinton are tied at 45 apiece.

Deadline for 2008 West Virgina Primary Election

2008-04-08T15:38:00.005-05:00

On the same day Pennsylvanians head to the polls to vote, their cross border nieghbors in West Virgina will have their last opportunity to register.

Registration in West Virgina ends on April 22nd for the May 13rd primaries.

We hope everyone will go ahead and get registered, even if you party's candidate is already decide. That way you'll already be registered for the next election.

You can get your mail-in voter registration form here.

If you can't print the mail in form and need to findout where to register in person, or for other info, contact your county or state election commission.

Here's the State Election Commission's information:

Bldg. 1, Suite 157-K1900 Kanawha Blvd. EastCharleston, WV 25305

Website: www.state.wv.us/sec/

Phone: (304) 558-6000
Fax: (304) 558-0900
E-mail: elections@wvsos.com

Getting Registered To Vote For North Carolina Primaries

2008-03-22T18:48:00.005-05:00

According to the State Election Boards Website you have until April 11th to to register to vote in the May 6th primary:

2008 Primary Election
May 6th
Last day to register to vote: Apr. 11
Absentee Voting: Mar. 17 - Apr. 29
One Stop Absentee Voting: Apr. 17 - May 3

Here’s some pertinent information on registering in N.C. fom N.C. Politics.com. More information can be found at http://www.nc-politics.com/vguide.htm:

Where Can I Register to Vote?
You can register to vote, make change to your registration or obtain a mail-in registration form at the County Board of Elections Office in the county you intend to vote within. Additionally (in some counties, but not all) at:
* A public library,
* The Department of Motor Vehicles,
* Some Public Agencies,
* On the internet
Forms may be submitted by facsimile transmission, as long as a permanent copy of the completed, signed form is delivered to the county board no later than 20 days before the election.

When Do I Need to Register?
* If mailed, the registration form must be postmarked at least 25 days prior to the election
* If hand delivered or faxed, the registration form must be received no later than 5:00PM on the 25th day prior to the election.
Do I Have to Declare a Party?
Party affiliation determines the primary in which a voter is eligible to vote. You may register with the Democrat, Republican or Libertarian parties, or you may register as unaffiliated. Unaffiliated voters may vote in a party primary if authorized by that party. If you do not declare a party you will be registered as unaffiliated.

Do I Have to Contact the Board of Elections if I Want to Change My Registration Information?
Yes, if You:
* Have moved within the County since you registered in the County (it is a violation of state law to return to your old precinct and vote if you have moved more than 30 days)
* Have changed your name
* Want to change your party affiliation

Go here for online application form

The Vote Heads To Pennsylvania - Showdown Obama and Clinton

2008-03-07T10:07:00.005-06:00

John McCain clinched the Republican nomination this past Tuesday night by reaching the magic number in his party of 1,191 delegates. Therefore the republican primaries and caucus from here on out are little more than a formality.

Though we still encourage those who would have voted on that side of the isle to still go to the polls because in many places there are other state and local
initiatives or elections on the ballot. Plus we always want Black voter turnout to be high, so politicians will be force to address our concerns. They really don't pay attention to people who don't vote.

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama remain in a close race for the Democratic nomination. Before Pennesylvania(PA)the Democrats have a Caucus in Wyoming tomorrow and then a primary in Mississippi next Tuesday. But PA is the next big state, and one that the race can pivot on. The vote there is not until April 22nd; plenty of time for Pennsylvania's Black citizens to still get registered, and still convince others to come out to the polls. PA's voter registration deadline is two weeks before an election, so you have just over 2 weeks from today to get registered.

If you go here, this page will help you get registered. Pass on the link to others who may not be registered and encourage them to participate in the politics that effects their lives.

I found a website that might be of interest to PA voters: http://www.votepa.us/

Current headlines include:
1. Take Action on Emergency Bill to Protect 2008 Elections -- HR 5036
2. Voters association says paper ballots best for primary

If you still have questions after using the application that is linked above, go to the PA election commission site for more info and their phone number: http://www.dos.state.pa.us/bcel/site/default.asp

The Future of Voting

2008-02-17T07:40:00.000-06:00

Juan Gilbert has been a BDPA member since his college days at Miami (OH) University. He is now Dr. John Gilbert ... having earned his Ph.D. in computer science and becoming an associate professor at Auburn University. Juan is the academic advisor for the BDPA IT Institute. It goes without saying that we are very proud of what Juan has done ... but, even more excited about the future for this young brother.

Our United States Congress called Dr. Gilbert to testify next month on The Future of Voting. One of the hot issues in congress is the security and accessibility of voting technology. Everybody wants a better voting system so that we don't have elections stolen in Ohio or Florida ever again. Juan and two other scientists will share their most recent research and hands-on demonstrations of their voting technology.

I encourage our DC-based readers to attend this forum if you have ability to do so. The forum will include a lengthy Q&A session where participants will be encouraged to play the role of a hacker and ask "what if" questions.

Date: Thursday, March 6, 2008
Time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, breakfast will be provided
Place: Room 1310, Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C.

If you can't be in Washington DC ... feel free to use the COMMENTS section below to ask Juan any questions about voting technology. He'll respond if you have questions or comments.

THE BLACK CAMPAIGN: An Initiative For Unity And Voter Protection

2008-02-11T08:43:00.000-06:00

Black Leaders Put Their Money Where Their Mouth Is
Susan L. Taylor hosts inaugural Unity Circle house party to raise money for UNITY: The Black Campaign

The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP) is once again, Claiming the Victory, after a successful fundraiser held recently at the New York home of Essence magazine’s editorial director, Susan L. Taylor. With a guest list that reads like a who’s who list of African American powerbrokers, the event launched a series of Unity Circle house parties to raise money for [UNITY: THE BLACK CAMPAIGN], an initiative of the nation’s most prominent organizations focused on increasing civic participation and protecting voters rights.

“Creating a strong Black donor circle promotes self-empowerment,” says Melanie L. Campbell, executive director and CEO of the NCBCP. “If candidates like Barack Obama and Ron Paul can raise millions from small donors to support a run for office, we are confident that citizens will donate to a campaign designed to empower their own community.”

Go here for the rest of the story: http://www.ncbcp.org/unitycirclehouse.html

Super Tuesday Vote Today

2008-02-04T22:53:00.000-06:00

NAACP President Sez 'Be Part of History'

2008-02-02T20:30:00.000-06:00

Dear Friend,

Last week we joined hundreds of thousands of people across the country celebrating the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King's message of equality, peace and social justice is as important and as powerful today as it was 45 years ago.

I was lucky enough to attend the annual King Day at the Dome event in Columbia, South Carolina, where we were joined by the three leading candidates in the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination. NAACP is a non-partisan organization, and we did invite the Republican candidates, but none of them were able to attend.

A crowd of almost 7,000 listened while the three candidates talked about what the legacy of Dr. King meant to them, and afterwards the crowd marched to the State House to demand that the Confederate flag be removed from the building.

It was a truly perfect way to spend MLK Day - actively participating in the ongoing struggle for equality. And over the weekend, as South Carolina chose among the Democratic field, we were reminded of another critically important way that we can all participate: Use your vote; it's a right and a responsibility.

If you're not registered to vote, you can click here to register and register there, or you can call the National Voter Registration Hotline at 1-866-MYVOTE1 (1-866-698-6831). If you know someone who is not registered, please encourage them to get registered.

Forty years after the hard-fought passage of the Voting Rights Act, and 80 years after women's suffrage, the frontrunners for the Democratic nomination are an African American man and a woman. No matter what the outcome, this is already an historic election. Make sure that you are a part of that history.

Stand up and be counted on Election Day.

Sincerely,
Dennis Courtland Hayes
Interim President & CEO
NAACP

2008 Electoral Compass USA

2008-01-27T05:23:00.001-06:00

Hat-tip to plezWorld for pointing us to the 2008 Electoral Compass USA. This site asks voters a series of questions and then determines your position in the political landscape for the 2008 Presidential Election against all of the candidates. Where do you stand politically?

History of Voting: Voting Rights

2008-01-23T09:34:00.000-06:00

From Action Vote.com

Voting Rights

The history of voting in America is a story of ever-increasing voting rights. The rules for eligibility have changed substantially since America's founding, and continue to change today. When America was young, only white males over the age of 21 were allowed to vote. Some of the landmark changes since then:

Black Suffrage
The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution were passed following the Civil War, in the later 1860s. They outlawed slavery and extended civil rights and suffrage (voting rights) to former slaves. The LEGAL right to vote for African-Americans was established, but numerous restrictions kept many blacks from ACTUALLY voting until the 1960s Voting Rights Act.

Direct election of Senators
The 17th Amendment made it so U.S. Senators were directly elected by popular vote. Prior to 1913, Senators were appointed. The President, of course, is still not elected by popular vote, but by the Electoral College. For example, in the presidential election of 2000, Al Gore won the popular vote but George Bush won the electoral college vote.

Women's Suffrage
The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote in 1920. This amendment resulted from an international movement of "Suffragettes". Women still lacked the right to vote in Switzerland until the 1970s, and as of 1990 women could not vote in Kuwait.

18-year-old vote
The 26th Amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18. This occurred in 1971, amid the Vietnam War, when 18-year-olds were routinely drafted and sent to war without the right to vote.

Freedom Summer: Blacks Voted Under Intense Persecution

2008-01-20T22:21:00.000-06:00

1964 -- In Mississippi, civil rights activists stage what many locals call an "invasion." Local NAACP leader Amzie Moore asks SNCC organizer Bob Moses to open offices in the state. Their program brings volunteers, including many white students from the North, to join local efforts at voter registration and education.

Blacks had been denied access to the vote and intimidated in many ways. The state's political leadership, controlled by the segregationist Citizens Council, had been preventing blacks from registering to vote. The state had passed new voting laws to make registration even harder, and dependent upon local officials, who could register whites and reject blacks at will.

In the state capital, Jackson, NAACP state field secretary Medgar Evers had organized a boycott of downtown stores. Hundreds of protesters were arrested in June 1963, with the mayor taking a hard line against them. Late on the night of June 11th, 1963, after President John F. Kennedy went on television asking Americans to support his civil rights bill, Evers was assassinated in his driveway. The murder weapon was traced to Citizens Council member Byron De La Beckwith, who would be tried twice and acquitted by all-white juries. (In 1994, when evidence emerged of improper trials, prosecutors would re-try Beckwith. Sentenced to life in prison by a mixed-race jury, he would die there in 2001.)

Freedom Summer recruits train in Oxford, Ohio, and leave for Mississippi on June 20th, 1964. On the 21st, three organizers, all under age 25, disappear while investigating a church burning. The bodies of James Chaney, a black Mississippian, and Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, two white Northerners, will be found buried together on August 4th.

Meanwhile, volunteers register voters for a new political party, the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP). Despite the tense climate, over 60,000 people join. In a presidential election year, the MFDP sends its own racially inclusive delegation to the Democratic National Convention, challenging the segregated delegation sent by the state's established Democrats. The nation watches a televised hearing on August 22 to determine which delegation will represent the state. The MFDP's Fannie Lou Hamer commands attention with an impassioned pitch for inclusion. But President Lyndon Johnson cuts off television coverage to end the divisive testimony and keep white Southerners in the party. In the end, the MFDP is not seated, but their presence and the moral strength of their argument impact national politics.

See rest of the Eyez On the Prize Timeline

114 Years Old and Registered to Vote!

2008-01-16T23:23:00.000-06:00

Virginia Call celebrated her 114th birthday by registering to vote. If a 114-year-old can register to vote, surely everyone else can! Call -- who was born in 1894 -- hasn't voted in 20 years. Her registration lapsed and was never updated. Officials at the Board Of Elections and the city said they are very proud of Call, and so is her family.

"She said she would vote if they would come by to vote her. But she wasn't able to go and vote," said John H. Taylor. So election officials brought over the paperwork and now she can cast her ballot in the upcoming presidential primary.

Sis. Call is now registered. What are you waiting on? ... your 115th birthday?

Why Blacks Should Vote

2008-01-15T18:20:00.000-06:00

On this, Martin Luther King Day, we should learn about the struggle that led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Why should you vote; because people were beaten, jailed, killed and otherwise suffered so that you could.

Voting Rights History
Two Centuries of Struggle

Preface
Much of this brief timeline describes oppression, persecution, and discrimination in regards to voting rights. In all of these cases those affected were not passive victims — rather they fought back with whatever means they had.

Similarly, much of this short summary is presented in the form of legislative and legal milestones. But all of those laws and court cases were the direct result of popular struggles and mass political pressure. In no case did benevolent legislators enact civil rights laws or magnanimous judges rule against discrimination without being forced to do so by we the people.

The stories of the freedom struggles and resistance to oppression that resulted in the milestones presented here would (and does) fill books. A single webpage cannot document the details of those battles, but it is crucial to remember that from every act of oppression grew a hundred forms of resistance. And every victorious milestone on the Freedom Road was achieved with blood, sweat, and tears.

Introduction
The two main issues addressed by the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s were ending the "Jim Crow" system of segregation and winning the right to vote for African-Americans (and Latinos, Native-Americans, Asians, and others) in the South and elsewhere.

But the Freedom Movement of the 1960s did not spontaneously spring up out of nowhere, nor did it disappear when its work was "done." Rather the Civil Rights Movement was but one episode in a centuries-long struggle for human freedom and civil rights that continues to this day. The Movement grew out of what came before and evolved into the struggles being waged today. Nothing illustrates this point better than the long battle for voting rights.

Voting Rights Milestones
In essence, the struggle for voting rights in America over the past two centuries has been a two-part battle. The first part was to win citizenship rights for people of color. But citizenship was only the first half of the fight. The second half was to win voting rights for all citizens regardless of gender, economic status, race, or national origin.

Read Timeline Here

Black Blogosphere Encouraging Black Voter Participation

2008-01-13T18:48:00.000-06:00

For Immediate Release
January 14, 2008
Contact: LaTonya Johnson: info@mrsgrapevine.com * Yobachi Boswell 615-478-5204 * Wayne Hicks 513-284-4968

Black Blogosphere Encouraging Black Voter Participation

The 2008 presidential decision represents a seminal election in determining the direction of the United States. For the first time, we have two viable candidates who are not white males. Moreover we have issues of healthcare, economics, foreign policy, immigration and others that directly affect every American’s life.

It is important that all who are eligible vote. Many of the most pertinent issues on the national agenda have a disproportionate effect on the Black community at large; yet voter turnout for Blacks continues to lag behind .

With those factors in mind, the Afroshpere Action Coalition has initiated a "Proud to be a Black Voter" movement; and created the “Proud Black Voter” blog (http://proudblackvoter.blogspot.com/) to encourage other Blacks to vote. The “Proud Black Voter” blog will inform the public about the importance of the need to vote, and will help to facilitate people in getting registered. We want to encourage greater voter registration and election participation within the Black community nationwide.

In regards to the importance of voting, music mogul Sean “P. Diddy” Combs has stated “people have died to have that right. When the president is running your country, he is running you”. Political commentator Armstrong Williams “echoes that sentiment regarding Black people in specific saying “we must go to the poll and pull that lever, not just for you, but what it has taken for you to be here". (Bnet.com November 14, 2007)

LaTonya Johnson, who initiated the ideal, in writing about her motivation for the blog states “I am an avid voter…hopefully we can get black people moving so that we can vote in the Presidential Election in record numbers.”

Other bloggers and websites are encouraged to participate by prominently displaying 1 of 6 “Proud Black Voter” buttons on their webpage; which they can obtain from the “Get Your Badge” page of “Proud Black Voter” at http://mrsgrapevine.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/badge_page.html

The HTML widget, which read "Proud Black Voter...Join Me Now, Register to Vote", can be placed on anyone’s page, and links back to the Proud Black Voter Blog; containing information on voter registration, voter rights, and other voting issues.

This is a nonpartisan effort to increase participation in the democratic process.

Afroshpere Action Coalition

Proud Black Voter blog sponsored by: MrsGrapevine.com * www.BlackPerspective.net * http://ElectronicVillage.blogspot.com/

2008 State Primary Deadlines

2008-01-08T02:57:00.000-06:00

Please take a moment to identify the specific dates & deadlines for the presidential primary or caucus in your state.

Register To Vote Today

2008-01-07T18:48:00.004-06:00

CLICK ON THE NAME OF YOUR STATE TO REGISTER
MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE TO REGISTER TO VOTE

Facts & Info Library

2007-01-13T23:31:00.000-06:00

Absentee Voting
	Voting From Overseas
	How To Vote Absentee
	What Is Absentee Voting
Candidates
	Platform & Positions

Deadlines
	Voter Registration Deadlines By State
	History Of Voting Rights