Stephanie
Diamond Member
- Jul 11, 2004
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I wonder if they should wear a tux or their evening gowns?
By Ann Imse, Rocky Mountain News
October 28, 2006
Limo rides, 7,500 lawyers and a Hickenlooper ad.
They're all part of a mushrooming effort to get people to vote - and sooner, rather than on Nov. 7. With so many people voting early or absentee, the effort is already underway.
Persuading people to vote is a non-partisan effort - while persuading party loyalists to vote is a critical part of any campaign.
How important is it? The last race for an open seat for Colorado's governor saw Republican Bill Owens defeat Democrat Gail Schoettler in a late-night squeaker by a mere 8,297 votes.
One eye-catching promotion comes from a group offering citizens in east and north Denver a ride to early voting today in a stretched-out luxury limo.
"We want to send the message that you as a voter are important," said Dante James, of the African-American Voter Registration and Information Project, one of several non-partisan groups that pooled $1,000 for two limos for a day.
That groups promise it will give rides to voters of all political persuasions.
To reserve a ride, call the Colorado Progressive Coalition, one of the partner organizations, at 303-866-0908.
The 7,500 lawyers are being promised nationwide by Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean. They'll be available to respond immediately on Election Day to any allegations of vote fraud that plagued the presidential elections in Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004
"Anybody who thinks their vote is being fooled with should call that hotline and we will have folks at that precinct in minutes," Dean said on the liberal Ed Schultz radio show Wednesday. The party is running 1-888-DEMVOTE to help people vote and deal with voting problems.
Television ads featuring Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper are part of a $225,000 campaign to publicize early voting by the Bell Policy Center, a local think tank that has taken stands on a number of ballot issues but not candidates.
Bell is also aiming at Denver only, but promises to help voters of all persuasions.
"We're targeting every single voter who voted in 2002 and 2004 and is not currently signed up for an absentee ballot," said Bell's Heather MacGregor.
Television ads, mailings and phone calls will encourage people to vote early because the ballot is long, and polling places have been changed, MacGregor said.
Republicans are relying on their well-oiled get-out-the-vote machine, and are referring to the last 96 hours of the campaign as the "Final Four."
"People are coming out of the woodwork and they're fired up and ready to volunteer," said John Marshall, campaign manager for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez. "We expect to have an army, walking precincts and knocking on doors."
The campaign of Beauprez's opponent, Bill Ritter, is concerned about turnout in Democratic Denver because people could get frustrated and fail to vote if they can't find their polling place. Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer said the campaign has rented a fleet of vans to take voters to the polls.
Colorado Democrats plan a rally at 6:30 p.m. today in downtown Denver featuring Ritter, U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, former Gov. Roy Romer and former Mayor Wellington Webb. They will meet at the Webb Building, 201 W. Colfax Ave., to encourage early voting, right there and then, as the Webb Building is a vote center open until 8 p.m.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/elections/article/0,2808,DRMN_24736_5100367,00.html
By Ann Imse, Rocky Mountain News
October 28, 2006
Limo rides, 7,500 lawyers and a Hickenlooper ad.
They're all part of a mushrooming effort to get people to vote - and sooner, rather than on Nov. 7. With so many people voting early or absentee, the effort is already underway.
Persuading people to vote is a non-partisan effort - while persuading party loyalists to vote is a critical part of any campaign.
How important is it? The last race for an open seat for Colorado's governor saw Republican Bill Owens defeat Democrat Gail Schoettler in a late-night squeaker by a mere 8,297 votes.
One eye-catching promotion comes from a group offering citizens in east and north Denver a ride to early voting today in a stretched-out luxury limo.
"We want to send the message that you as a voter are important," said Dante James, of the African-American Voter Registration and Information Project, one of several non-partisan groups that pooled $1,000 for two limos for a day.
That groups promise it will give rides to voters of all political persuasions.
To reserve a ride, call the Colorado Progressive Coalition, one of the partner organizations, at 303-866-0908.
The 7,500 lawyers are being promised nationwide by Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean. They'll be available to respond immediately on Election Day to any allegations of vote fraud that plagued the presidential elections in Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004
"Anybody who thinks their vote is being fooled with should call that hotline and we will have folks at that precinct in minutes," Dean said on the liberal Ed Schultz radio show Wednesday. The party is running 1-888-DEMVOTE to help people vote and deal with voting problems.
Television ads featuring Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper are part of a $225,000 campaign to publicize early voting by the Bell Policy Center, a local think tank that has taken stands on a number of ballot issues but not candidates.
Bell is also aiming at Denver only, but promises to help voters of all persuasions.
"We're targeting every single voter who voted in 2002 and 2004 and is not currently signed up for an absentee ballot," said Bell's Heather MacGregor.
Television ads, mailings and phone calls will encourage people to vote early because the ballot is long, and polling places have been changed, MacGregor said.
Republicans are relying on their well-oiled get-out-the-vote machine, and are referring to the last 96 hours of the campaign as the "Final Four."
"People are coming out of the woodwork and they're fired up and ready to volunteer," said John Marshall, campaign manager for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez. "We expect to have an army, walking precincts and knocking on doors."
The campaign of Beauprez's opponent, Bill Ritter, is concerned about turnout in Democratic Denver because people could get frustrated and fail to vote if they can't find their polling place. Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer said the campaign has rented a fleet of vans to take voters to the polls.
Colorado Democrats plan a rally at 6:30 p.m. today in downtown Denver featuring Ritter, U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, former Gov. Roy Romer and former Mayor Wellington Webb. They will meet at the Webb Building, 201 W. Colfax Ave., to encourage early voting, right there and then, as the Webb Building is a vote center open until 8 p.m.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/elections/article/0,2808,DRMN_24736_5100367,00.html
