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Missy said:
Hello everyone!

Tomorrow is election day and I hope that everyone plans on getting out to the polls. This election is so close that it is beyond scary. (Bush is leading by a small margin according to the latest Pew Research Polls) I was listening to NPR this morning (you can hear it here) and they were saying that there were 39 possible scenarios in which the electoral college could end up in a tie. In which case, the winner of the poular vote is not the winner of the general election, instead, each state is given a vote in the currently Republican majority House, and we can all see what the outcome would be there. No matter what your political leanings it would be a travisty of American democracy to elect our leader this way. It so important that we make sure that every vote is counted and that a clear winner is declared. There are a few things that you can do to ensure that this happens.

Please arrive early to vote, there is supposed to be a record voter turnout on election day so be prepared for lines, please hang in there, this is the most important thing you will do all year. If you are having problems taking time off work in order to contend with the lines over half of the states in the country require that employers grant employees who are registered voters two to three hours off from work in order to vote. Check on your states laws here.

When you go to the polls make sure that your vote is tallied correctly. Many states including California are using new systems that are unfamiliar to voters. (in Califorrnia it is Ink-A-Vote, make sure that the dots are clearly marked for your choices) Please just take an extra moment and ensure that your votes are clear and correct.

If you are not on the roster to vote in your district and you know that you are registered DO NOT let the poll workers turn you away. Most states now have provisional ballots in which you are allowed to vote and your eligibility will be determined later. In California during the last election 96% of all of the provisional ballots ended up being verified as qualified voters. ( I learned this in my poll workers training class) There is even a hotline where you can see if your vote was counted 40 days after the election, just make sure you are given a receipt. If you have problems at the polls or are treated unfairly you can call the Election Protection hotline at (866) OUR-VOTE.

You should be sure to bring your ID to your polling place, although it is not necessary in every state.

If you have the time there are a number of ways in which you can volunteer just a bit of your time to help ensure the election is decided by the majority of voters....

If you have the whole day free and want to help go to your polling place early and volunteer to be a poll worker. Many polls are understaffed and would appreciate the help. I am a poll worker and there are supposed to be between 5-8 of us to fully expedite the process and there are only 4. The trained poll workers can help get you up to speed in no time. If you work the polls all day you even get a few dollars for your time.

The easiest way to volunteer is to help those you know in need get to the polls. Mothers with small children, those without transportation, elderly or disabled friends who need a little extra help would benefit greatly from a few minutes of your day. Take the initiative and call anyone who you think may need help voting and offer to help out so that they can get to the polls, don't wait for them to ask. Take an hour or two before or after work and offer to babysit for the mother's in your area or drive and pick up friends in your area who may not have a car or need extra help. It won't take long and will not only ensure that a vote is counted but it will put a smile on the faces of some of your friends to know that you care and were thinking about them.

You can sign up to call new voters from all parties and ensure that they will make it to the polls by going to VoterCall

You can also look up local election volunteer programs by zip code here: election match

FOR DEMOCRATS.....

Sign up to host a Get Out the Vote Phone Party for MoveOne.org
Sign up here

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Feel free to repost or forward any of this information on. Seriously consider volunteering to ensure that all registered voters make it to the polls as well. Every vote counts.

xoxo
-missy