Bonifaz Issues Statement on Katrina Survivors in Massachusetts

[Ian David]

Dear Friends,

Below is the press release we issued today concerning the voting rights of Hurricane Katrina survivors currently residing in Massachusetts. For this and other updates on our campaign, visit our website at www.johnbonifaz.com.

Contact: Stephanie Sanchez, Campaign Manager, 617-524-5151

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 6, 2006

Bonifaz Issues Statement on Katrina Survivors in Massachusetts

Secretary of State Candidate Says That Massachusetts Should
Lead The Way In Protecting Their Voting Rights

BOSTON, MA - Voting rights leader John Bonifaz, Democratic candidate for Secretary of State, issued the following statement today on the voting rights of Hurricane Katrina survivors currently residing in Massachusetts. Municipal elections in New Orleans are scheduled for April 22.

"As elections in New Orleans move forward without many of its residents, Massachusetts needs to take a leadership role in protecting the voting rights of the displaced New Orleanians now living in the Commonwealth.

"For starters, we should widely publicize the availability of absentee ballots through paid media advertising and community outreach to the groups working with these voters. Massachusetts should open up all city and town clerk offices in the state to provide Katrina victims easy access to the absentee ballot process, allowing them to receive applications, submit them by fax to the Secretary of State office in Louisiana, and receive absentee ballots following the approval of their applications.

"With respect to those Katrina survivors who are ineligible to cast absentee ballots, civil rights organizations, including the NAACP-National Office and ACORN, are coordinating an effort to provide transportation back to New Orleans in order to vote. Massachusetts should join this effort and help provide such transportation to Katrina victims in our state.

"In addition, we should be leading a coalition of Secretaries of State to take the same measures to ensure as full participation as possible by Katrina victims displaced throughout the country.

"Hurricane Katrina exposed to the nation and the world the sad reality that too many of our citizens are locked out of the political process and their voices, therefore, go unheard. In the midst of the ongoing struggle Katrina victims face to rebuild their lives, we ought to ensure that we are doing everything possible to protect their right to vote. Massachusetts can and should be leading the way.

"The clock is ticking on this hotly-contested mayoral election. Where is our Secretary of State on these specific matters - advertising, easier access to the absentee ballot process, and transportation where necessary? If I were Secretary of State today, I would have long ago been leading the charge among secretaries of state around the nation to address these exact issues."

P.O. Box 300007, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 - www.johnbonifaz.com - [e-mail]

[EFerrari]

1. K & R

[intheflow]

2. I K&R'd this.

Saw the cross-post in the Hurricane Survivor's group, but came to Massachusetts Forum specifically to be able to recommend it. Massachusetts rocks!

Thanks so much for posting and cross-posting, IanDB. :hug:

*On edit: damn typos keep sneaking into my posts!

[Mass]

3. K&R.

[Swamp Rat]

4. kick and recommended n/t

[paineinthearse]

5. Thanks for the kicks and recommends, but what is really needed....

...is 10,000 nomination signatures in 4 weeks. If you truly support John's actions, show some support in this manner.

Send an email to [e-mail]

You can either gather signatures at "target rich" events identified at http://www.johnbonifaz.com/events , or outside your town meeting, or on your own at a market or post office.

Keep on!

p.s. Cash donations are welcome, too.

edited link

[intheflow]

6. Your second link is broken. Here's the corrected link:

http://www.johnbonifaz.com/events

For some reason, the comma was included in your link :shrug:

And you're right, more than kicks are needed. I can't collect signatures for him in Mississippi or back home in Denver, but I will send the link to my friends back home in Massachusetts. They aren't a polical lot of people, and one is even a *gasp* Log Cabin Republican who works for the Governor, but if even one of them gets off their ass and volunteers for Bonifaz, it would be a beautiful thing.

[paineinthearse]

7. House parties / fundraising

We are also looking for people outside Massachusetts to host a house party / do some other kind of fundraising.

Interested?

Phone: [phone] or

Email: [e-mail]

[usedtobesick]

8. and a kick from CT....

we need to count everyones vote!

[Anita Garcia]

9. Thanks! NAACP will be busing in voters April 15th

from all over for early voting!
Amazingly, LaRoots (formerly KerryRoots in Louisiana) has opposed our efforts to protect the vote - even after Sen. Kerry issued call to protect the votes.
Most recent email from LaRoots states that they are supporting Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu, brother of Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La).
I guess they believe Mitch has a better chance to win if displaced voters are disenfranchised.