Okay, We Are Up and Running Big Time
The reviews are in and the program you guys bought for the Texas Democratic Party is amazing.
People over the age of 65 and disabled people are the least likely to have the stringent identification papers required now under Texas law. At this site you can download a pre-printed request for a ballot by mail for every election in 2014 – primary through general election. You can also do this for someone else like your Momma or your Aunt Betty Lou.
Better yet, you can download your entire precinct and walk it to your neighbors’ doors. All they have to do is sign it and you can mail them in all together or FAX them in.
You can do your whole precinct or just your street. The form is printed with each person’s data and your name is listed on the form as the volunteer who helped. The beauty of this program is that small county parties with little or no money can use this with only the expense of paper and ink and nothing else if somebody has a fax machine.
Republicans can’t use them, because (1) the form asks only for Democratic primary ballots, and (2) only people identified as Democrats are in the program. There’s other safeguards, too, but I ain’t telling because I’d love, love, love to catch me some cheating Republicans.
The buttons are easy to click and give you instructions along the way.
You have made a big difference for Texas Democrats. Texans will be out block walking this weekend in my county, armed with these sign up sheets when they get to those doors.
Thank you, my friends. I will let you know where you can use your money effectively and make a major difference when another project comes up. Save a few dollars back because grassroots politics is what will flip Texas.
It will be highly ironic–and lovely–if right-wing voter suppression laws end up with outreach that brings millions of new Dem voters on line.
The Law of Unintended Consequences can bite you in the ass, GOP.
1Absolutely busting my buttons with pride to have been associated with this. Go Blue, Texas!
2there is a sanity clause
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/17/pennsylvania-voter-id-struck-down_n_4617304.html
3Nice work. Closer to home the Pennsyltucky voter id law — the one that was supposed to guarantee a victory to Mittsy — was just declared unconstitutional setting up a fight in the state supreme court.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/01/17/pennsylvania-judge-strikes-down-states-voter-id-law/
4On a brighter note,there is a bill being considered in Congress(with bi-partisan support) to restore the VRA and update it. Dems were sounding like it had a good chance to pass in the House. Wingnut Sensenbrenner (R) from Wisconsin is a co-author.
5I have requested mail in ballots for individual elections for several years and it is easy to forget to do so. I really appreciate the fact that I can do it once this year and continuously receive the necessary ballots. Kudos to all involved in creating this site.
6I just downloaded and printed my request out. Sure appreciate the convenience.
7Good on ya, JJ. Hope LynnN is right that attempts at voter suppression have the effect of getting out the vote in a big way. They don’t seem able to grasp this concept, but I think Republicans may have to twist and contort themselves into a party a reasonable person might want to vote for.
One of the best articles on Repub extremism I have read in a long time is by Sean Wilentz in the Oct. 24 issue of Rolling Stone: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/republican-extremism-and-the-lessons-of-history-20131010
8Great article VeeGee, thank you!
9Things are looking brighter in Texas and in PA.
10The judge who struck down the Repug Voter ID law is Bernard McGinley. In high school, we knew him as Barney, and we are so proud of him for restoring fairness to the political system. Way to go, Barney!
And way to go, J.J.!
Even though I’m in CO, I’m glad I was one of many who was able to donate to get this instituted for the Dems in TX. Woohoo!!
11When I registered to vote when I first moved to CO in 2004, I signed up for mail-in ballots, so I get those for every election regardless of the “type” of election it is. I fill the ballot out, but I hand deliver it to the voting box at the County office here in town. I want to make sure it gets where it’s suppose to be and on time! :o)
I’m just so danged proud of myself for helping turn Texas blue, even if only in a small way. I hope LynnN is right and thanks for the link, VeeGee!
12I’m proud too, BUT if you take a notion to wait and go to the polls, BE SURE AND TAKE YOUR MAIL-IN BALLOT WITH YOU or you have to turn around and go home and dig through the stack of papers on the dining table to find the mail-in ballot and RETURN IT to be able to vote.
13It would be wonderful if the program could be shared with some of the other states with heinous voter id restrictions. I’d kick in for that too.
14The bipartisan proposal to fix the Voting Rights Act would subject Texas and three other southern states to pre-clearance.
15Congratulations, JJ and Texas Dems! I look forward to contributing to the next project, Gods of Finance willing.
16Juan-in-a-million and I have printed out our requests, signed them, bundled them in an envelope, and stuck a stamp on it. Very easy. Thanks, Glen. Thanks all the funders.
17i’m so impressed by you all getting this going — Texas DOES have a lot of people to be proud of! 🙂
18Yes, yes, we just gotta turn Tejas Blue again!!
19KOOL! As many hugs and kisses as the wonderful Susan will allow me.(Stand down, Bubba, it’s all good. I respect your wife as much as you do!) What you and your friends have accomplished seriously needs to go viral.
How KOOL would it be, if you tube takes your message nationwide? And, every state learns from TX. Take that, Dubya, Texas is learning despite you and Neil’s crummy text books.
Juanita Jean, the g-MAN and others making it work in TX, please, please, please export your methods to all the other 49 states and territories with voting privileges.
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