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Hi Everyone! November 8, 2016
Thanks for supporting the work of the Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC)!
The Transformative Justice Coalition
is a nonpartisan, 501(c)(3)
nonprofit organization
, formed in 2015
by Renowned Civil Rights Leader Barbara R. Arnwine.
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IGNITING CHANGE ON “Election Day 2016: Live from the Voting Rights Alliance’s Voter Protection Command Center!”
On Tuesday, November 8th, from 12:00-1:00 p.m. EDT, radio show host
Barbara Arnwine,
Founder and President of
Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC) , will be joined by her guests
Joel Segal, National Director of the Justice Action Mobilization Network, and others. This show will cover the status of Election Day 2016 and will be broadcasting live directly from the Voting Rights Alliance's Voter Protection Command Center, which TJC will be administering. The Command Center is devoted to assisting organizations and voters needing advice and assistance. You can call the Command Center to discuss problems and get advice at
202-536-5400. The guests, which will also include volunteers from the Command Center, will discuss reports from organizations and voters throughout the nation about their experiences voting on Election Day! Read more about the Command Center in the article below.
Please click on each guest's name for their bio's and click on the show title for the complete show description. If you didn't get to listen live or you just want to hear the show again, you can listen to the podcast on
BarbaraArnwine.com after 8:00 PM EDT on Tuesday. You can also catch up on key highlights from the show by searching
"#IgnitingChange" on your Twitter or Facebook, or by scrolling down the timeline of our @TJC_DC Twitter or @TJC.DC Facebook accounts. We live tweet during every show!
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The Voting Rights Alliance's Voter Protection Command Center
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The Voting Rights Alliance's Voter Protection Command Center ("The Command Center") is sponsored and hosted by Transformative Justice Coalition and is designed to help organizations and voters with problems at the polls and other election-related issues. You can call the Command Center to discuss problems and get advice at
202-536-5400. The Command Center will operate from 6:00 A.M. - 9:00 P.M. Est. With over millions of American citizens voting today, November 8th, 2016, the Alliance is anticipating many election-related issues.
Already, during early voting, there have been problems of long lines, misinformed poll workers, illegal poll watchers, nd deceptive practices. Most voters should have a good voting experience but in parts of the nation voters will need support, encouragement and assistance. The Alliance's plan is to document voter suppression, voting irregularities, and machine malfunctions so that Congress can take action in the months and years to pass needed legislation to fix the Voting Rights Act, address voter intimidation and deceptive practices, and fix our voting machines!
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You can follow along on any developments by following our Twitter handle
@VRAmatters We salute all of the 43 million Americans who have already cast ballots during early voting and absentee voting. And we look forward to assisting the 80-90 million voters yet to vote. The Command Center is devoted to assisting organizations and voters needing advice and assistance. Be sure to spread the word about the special assistance available at the Voting Rights Alliance for organizations and individuals at
202-536-5400.
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VOTING RIGHTS ALLIANCE ADVISORY
ON
TOUCH SCREEN MACHINE VOTE FLIPPING
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This issue of vote-flipping on touch screen voting machines is now being seen in a number of counties in Texas, Georgia and North Carolina. Please note this problem of electronic machine miscalibration is being alleged to favor both Democrats and Republicans. The bottom line is that electronic machines do sometimes fail from miscalibration and that leaves serious issues of voter confidence and vote accuracy when there isn't a paper trail.
Here are the steps voters can take when this problem is encountered.
1. Always double check your ballot before casting it to ensure that your vote is reflected accurately.
If you are trying to vote and the machine flips your vote:
First: Ask for a poll worker to fix the machine to record your vote correctly:
Second: If the poll worker can't fix the machine:
A. Request a "regular paper ballot" (not a provisional ballot);
B. Demand that the malfunctioning machine be taken off-line;
Third: Call the Election Protection Hotline and report the problem immediately: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).
Fourth: Share your story by sending us a video or email to barnwine@tjcoalition.org.
Long range, we need to have voting systems based on paper ballots or electronic systems which produce a verified paper receipt which accurately reflects each citizen's vote and can be used to verify vote accuracy.
For more voting information or to report a complaint, see: 4votingrights.org.
Remember to VOTE!!
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Before you vote,
are you prepared to vote?
Check out these additional resources
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Being prepared to vote is as important as being registered to vote. Some states require a particular photo ID to vote; some states require no photo ID; some states may require a photo ID, but if you can't afford or don't have one, you simply have to sign something saying you are who you are; some states use voting machines; and, some states use paper ballots. Do you know the laws in your state? To find out the law in your state, click the button below which will direct you to the interactive map on 4VotingRights.com. Not only does this map highlight which states have voter suppression tactics, but it also has information on each state's individual voting laws, which you can view by clicking on your respective state.
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Now you know the laws your state has, it's time to make sure you plan accordingly. To find your nearest polling place, click the button below:
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~ If your state requires a photo ID ~
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If your state requires a photo ID, or a particular photo ID, then make sure you have that proper ID. If you don't have the proper ID or can't afford it, be sure to know your state's laws, and whether you can simply sign a piece of paper verifying who you are. There may also be resources in your state that will drive you to places where you can obtain your photo ID or pay for your photo ID. If you need those resources: please email us back from this Transformer and let us know what state you're in so we can help; or, call 1-866-OUR-VOTE; or, visit
VoteRiders.com Even if you have the proper ID, it's not only good to verify your registration, but to bring a piece of mail with your name and address, especially if you've moved or changed your last name.
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~ If your state does not require a photo ID ~
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If your state requires no photo ID, that's great!.
However, we advise voters print our your state-specific voting law information from 4VotingRights.com, because poll workers may also be confused about your state's laws, especially if they've changed recently, and may demand the wrong information.
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A good way to know there is no problems with your state's voter registration is that you have verified your registration or that you have already received your sample ballot in the mail. Sample ballots are replica's of the actual ballots you'll see and are used to introduce voters to local candidates and other initiatives, such as voting for or against a particular constitutional amendment, education funding, or a particular act or bill, such as term limits for certain elected officials. Sample ballots are different depending on you county or city. While most have a few questions that are the same state-wide, they usually differ when it comes to the particular things you're voting for or against. For instance, there could be a state-wide initiative that would make marijuana legal, and a local initiative for $6,000,000 to be borrowed by the city or county to institute affordable housing measures.
Sample ballots not only introduce you to ballot initiatives, but also to local candidates who you may not have heard of, especially if your state is not completive in the local elections. While all sample ballots contain the Presidential candidates, the local ones may actually be more important to your needs, such as your governor, congresspeople, senators, school board, state's attorney, and any other elected officials that are up for re-election in your state.
This may sound confusing, but sample ballots are actually sent to you to make voting easier. You can bring the sample ballots with you into the voting booths. Each sample ballot can be filled in, so you can fill it in ahead of time, and use it as a guide to fill in your actual ballot. This makes the process less stressful, familiarizes you with what your ballot will look like, and makes the process faster. And, while it's true that sample ballots are different for each county or city, every state send sample ballots- so there's no confusing sample ballot laws to look up. Sample ballots also tell you your polling places on the back.
And while sample ballots are a great way to know there is nothing wrong with your registration, if you don't receive your sample ballot, it doesn't necessarily mean there is anything wrong with your registration; it could just be that you moved recently. If you don't receive your sample ballot, simply verify your registration again. If your registration is verified or if you voted in the primaries, then it could just be a circumstantial error that you didn't receive your sample ballot. Each state has a state-operated website that allows you to print your particular country-or-city-specific official sample ballot. If you can't find a state-operated website, email us back to this Transformer and we will find one for you and send you the link; or,
CLICK HERE to be directed to Ballotpedia's sample ballot tool.
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Now that you're armed with information- VOTE!
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UPCOMING BARBARA ARNWINE SPEAKING EVENTS
* Nov. 8th-- Television, Election Watch with Roland Martin
*
Nov. 17th
-- Washington D.C., Independent Sector
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