The Hot Sheet

It’s an E-Day GOTV Swarm

Our office was completely packed for E-Day orientation this week, as dozens of eager volunteers came in to get trained and scheduled to get out the vote on Tuesday.

They ranged in age from 17 years old to over 50. We gave them all a t-shirt and the list of canvasser rules and rights, and got them scheduled for either a whole-day or half-day shift.

IF YOU MISSED THE ORIENTATION… Saturday, Nov. 1st at 1pm in our office you can still get trained and scheduled to push those voters out the door! Call 412-362-7927 with questions.

Election Results Party-time!

On a historic day like this one, don’t you want to be with your friends and countrymen?

Check our voting machines before the election!

TOMORROW, Tuesday Oct 20th at 10am there will be a Board of Elections Meeting at the County Courthouse, Conference Room 1. We should arrive en-masse to discuss software auditing as well as any other election issues. No one needs to sign up in advance to speak, but if you’d like to carpool down there or meet up early, email terry@theleague.com!

Terry encouraging Pitt students to call County Executive Dan Onorato and ask him to verify the county's electronic voting machine software before the Nov. 4th election.

In a democracy such as ours, when those who represent our interests to our government fall short of doing the work of the people, to whom do we turn? Each other! The PA League of Young Voters has been calling for the people of Allegheny County to address their concerns about the integrity of the operating software in the electronic touch-screen voting machines to our county officials. When Michelle Obama came to University of Pittsburgh campus on October, 16th, Leaguers passed out some 800 leaflets containing the County Executive’s office phone number, instructions for writing a letter to the editor of the local newspapers, and information about our local government to a crowd of hundreds of eager voters. Everyone pulled out their cell phones, began making calls, and passed the information on to each other.

Terry took to the wall, walking along the line of speech-goers, proclaiming the importance of ratcheting up public pressure to direct the County Executive and the Board of Elections to take all necessary and reasonable steps to ensure that the paperless voting machines record and count each and every vote in Allegheny County on November, 4th, and in every election. Consequently, hundreds of people from around the Pittsburgh area who care to have their voices heard have experienced their collective power and the duty to influence the decisions of our elected officials. The flood of phone calls reportedly tied up County Executive Dan Onorato’s phone line for a good portion of the morning.

Now go the the Board of Elections meeting this Tuesday October 21st, 10am, and be there when the County Executive and the two At-Large County Councilmen make the decision. Our presence will influence!

Trick out the Vote!

Studies show that the most effective way to get young people to vote before an election is to knock on their doors and encourage them to. And what’s the one day when we’re all culturally ready for a knock on the door? Halloween! Just 5 days before the general Election.

This is a great, fun chance to do your part. Trick or Vote is a nationwide nonpartisan costume canvass taking place on Halloween.  So in Pittsburgh, on Oct 31st at 5pm,  costumed canvassers will meet up to get out the vote during Trick-Or-Treat!

Sign up you and your friends for Trick-or-Vote!

PA behind other states in anti-poverty legislation

With the number of U.S. children in poverty increasing, many states are forming commissions and task forces to reduce the ranks of the poor.

Pennsylvania is not among them.

Also, nearly two dozen states - including Delaware and New Jersey - have adopted state income-tax credits, considered by many policymakers to be the single best weapon in the antipoverty arsenal, because the credit rewards working people and raises many families above the poverty line.

Pennsylvania has not created such a credit.

“There’s silence on poverty in Pennsylvania - no serious discussion of poverty reduction at all,” said Sharon Ward, executive director of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, a research group in Harrisburg.

-The Philadelphia Inquirer, Oct 15th, 2008, by Alfred Lubano

Please join the PA League to learn about what you can ask your elected officials (at all levels of government) to do about poverty and the economic struggle!

Poverty/Economy Issues Forum
Oct 23rd, 6pm-8pm
Kiva Han (Craig & Forbes, 15213)
presentation followed by panel discussion and Q&A

Everybody EAT!

The Last Two Debate Watch Parties!

Did everyone have fun watching the last two pres and vp debates?  Okay, so maybe that’s not the word for it, but the League is here to change that.

Putting the “fun” back into “debate,”  the PA League has partnered with our old friends at The Shadow Lounge to bring you the debates you’ve been looking for.

Educate yourself on the candidates’ issues while playing our debate bingo for prizes or partake of the Shadow Lounge’s drink specials!

That’s this Tuesday, Oct 7th from 8pm till it’s over, and again Wednesday Oct 15th from 8pm till no one can take it any more.  Get there early to get a good seat!

Peacemakers in Pittsburgh

Special free training opportunity this Saturday!

CJ Jenkins, guest trainer!

Carey Jenkins from Milwaukee, WI!

He will be in Pittsburgh
Saturday, the 20th of September to enhance our Tunnel Builder Institute training with the Conflict Resolution Training that the Campaign Against Violence (our sister organization in Milwaukee) has become famous for!

Please join us in welcoming CJ to Pittsburgh!

The festivities will be at the
PA League Office
6101 Penn Ave, Suite 302, Pittsburgh, PA, 15206

We will be getting started at 10am. The Tunnel Builder Institute is only scheduled until 2pm, but we will be extending the time an hour to allow CJ to do his thing.
It will be time well spent, don’t worry about that.

Please RSVP online or email me at roxanne@theleague.com if you can come!

See you soon!

Roxanne A. Banks-Williams
Education/Training Director
PA League of Young Voters Education Fund
6101 Penn Ave, Suite 302
Pittsburgh, PA 15206

Roxanne on WAMO 106.7 tonight!

Talking about the youth vote in PA…don’t miss it!

“Do we take our right to vote for granted?…Why is this election historic? Stop the Music…Start to Vote! Roxanne will be on WAMO 106.7 live tonight 9/17 from 8-10pm. Spread the word! Tell your kids to listen! Let’s make history!”

-Roxanne