Common Cause.Org Petition Blackwell to step aside

[madmax]

Please sign petition: www.commoncause.org/DemandPureOhioRecount

I'm writing to inform you that we are working with Members of Congress and other organizations to put together a special report to the nation on December 7, 2004. We want to make sure the public has as much information as possible about the problems that occurred on Election Day, as witnessed first hand by groups with on-the-ground field operations.

By now, some of you may know that there has been a request for a recount of all votes cast in the presidential race in Ohio. Common Cause and several other organizations are supporting that request. It is not our expectation that a recount will change the outcome of the election, nor is that outcome the intent of this effort. However, we believe that it is imperative in a democracy that every citizen's vote is counted.

While we are pushing to make sure that all votes are counted in Ohio we need you to help us out in a number of ways:

First, we need to make sure that any recount process in Ohio is totally free of the taint of partisanship. Partisan supervision of elections has undermined voter confidence in our electoral process. Therefore we are calling on Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, who led President Bush's re-election efforts in Ohio, and whose partisanship in this election drew comparisons to Katherine Harris in Florida, to remove himself from the recount process. We are asking you to join us in signing our nationwide petition requesting that Secretary of State Blackwell remove himself from any and all recount-related procedures. We must ensure any recount is pure and not left open to accusations of partisanship, which tainted the process in Florida in 2000:





Sign our petition to keep Ohio recount nonpartisan!

www.commoncause.org/DemandPureOhioRecount

So please sign our petition and forward it to everyone you know so that we can help erase any doubt about the integrity of the vote recount process in Ohio.

Second, if you live in Ohio and if you have not done so already, please be sure to fill out our voter experience form . Help us collect information on whether you faced problems while voting - such as long lines or trouble with provisional or absentee ballots - or if you had difficulties with your registration process or using voting equipment, such as optical scanners or punch cards. Please also use this form to let us know if you witnessed or experienced problems with challengers at polling stations or any other voter suppression efforts in Ohio.

We are pleased to inform you that Common Cause Ohio already organized two public hearings in Columbus on Saturday, November 13, and on Monday, November 15. Citizens testified under oath about their personal voting experiences. Many of those who testified spoke of standing in long lines, receiving misinformation, or using faulty voting machines. The hearings also revealed problems we've heard less about, such as cars being towed while the owners were voting.

Even if you do not live in Ohio, you can help our efforts by submitting your own voting experience story, and more importantly, forwarding this e-mail to anyone you know in Ohio. Ask them to fill it out and tell us about their voting experience.

Voters throughout the country need to know that we have made every effort to count all their votes, and it all starts in Ohio. A purely non-partisan Ohio recount of all votes cast, and an examination of all voting procedures used there will allow the nation to produce a full and detailed accounting of the election in that state, and will lead the way for much needed reform. That is why we want you to join us in demanding a non-partisan recount free of all partisan shenanigans, and also help us gather information on voting experiences from voters in Ohio. We need to take these steps to restore people's trust in our democratic process.

Lastly, in addition to your activism, we would appreciate your support and contributions for our work to protect the integrity of our elections. We are doing everything we can to remove doubts about the integrity of our electoral process, and we need you to stay with us now.

[katinmn]

1. Done!

[billyoc]

2. Done and forwarded

to all them members of my union.

[MasonJar]

3. Done

[JD Lau]

4. Done and will forward to election 2004 list

[Vidar]

6. done -thanks for keeping us informed

[madmax]

5. I love you guys!!

Thanks so much. Little by little we all do what we can and we will change the world. :yourock:

:grouphug:

[BlueDog2u]

7. Done!