Help Protect Democracy on Election Day

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There are only 19 days left until the 2004 national elections, and November 2 is anticipated to be the most closely contested and watched election in this nation's history. Since the 2000 election, Common Cause has demanded critical reforms at the state and federal levels. Now as the nation prepares for a close and potentially divisive election, Common Cause has a two-pronged approach to help Americans take action to improve participation and minimize problems on Election Day, and to ensure that eligible voters are not turned away at the polls:

1. A toll-free voter alert phone line providing a precinct-level poll locater, access to local boards of elections, and the opportunity for voters to record a statement

Help us Protect Democracy on Election Day

on their voting experience or something they witnessed while voting. The phone line will enable real-time transferal of Election Day calls to an online map, identifying hotspots, and allowing lawyers and advocates to respond locally, and for us to relay information to media outlets on and after Election Day.
2. A first-of-its-kind, scientifically-based Election Day poll monitoring effort to protect basic voting rights, assure a fair and transparent election, and identify and report on election system problems that have the potential to influence election outcomes. Common Cause is planning to train and dispatch thousands of volunteers as non-partisan poll monitors in key states, including Ohio and New Mexico.

These poll watchers will be trained volunteers who will monitor elections, record observations, and relay voting problems via the phone line and the Internet to lawyers and advocates. Our volunteers and staff will assist voters on Election Day and gather important information to improve the quality, accuracy, and security of our elections.

The roles of these poll watchers in battleground states are going to be crucial, and we need your help: www.commoncause.org/protectdemocracy

We are asking you to help us mobilize 500 poll monitors on Election Day. It costs us $45.00 to deploy one poll monitor on November 2:

$20.00 for training
$15.00 for transportation
$10.00 for meals
Can you help us raise $22,500.00 in the next two weeks so that we can deploy 500 Common Cause activist-sponsored poll monitors on Election Day?

We all know about the voting problems in Florida in 2004, and we need to do everything in our power to make sure we don't have to live through that scenario again. So please, help us sponsor poll monitors to play a critical role in protecting our democratic process on Election Day.

www.commoncause.org/protectdemocracy

Thank you again for all you do for Common Cause.
Sincerely,
Chellie Pingree
President and CEO, Common Cause