Anonymous Phone Calls Seek to Intimidate Voters in Virginia and Florida

The Virginia State Board of Elections reports, "some Virginia voters, particularly older Virginians, are receiving phone calls from unidentified individuals informing voters that they can vote over the phone. This information is false." Election Protection of Florida has found similar tactics to be taking place, particularly targeting Blacks and Spanish-speakers.

Let's hope people don't fall for such trickery and cahoots this November. More here. 

'Souls to the Polls' Still Going Strong Despite Voter Suppression Attempts

According to the Associated Press, Black and Latino church leaders are fighting back against voter ID and other laws that disproportionately impact minority groups. African American churches have traditionally used 'souls to the polls' to rally voters by driving them to early voting sites. 

But since early voting has been abolished in some swing states, church leaders have planned caravans to the polls on Election Day instead. Not only are collection plates being passed but so are voter registration cards. 

The PICO National Network, which is a coalition between Black and Latino faith leaders, held "Let My People Vote Sunday" last month and 300 churches held voter registration drives during church services. It recruited church members to register others. 

Reverend F.E. Perry of Ohio sees the new voting rules as an assault on civil rights gained by minorities during the 1960s. “We’ve come too far to sit idly by and watch that happen. We want to get souls to the polls. Whatever it takes to get them there, that’s what we’re going to do.”

Read more here.  

Early Voting Information For the 2012 Election, FYI

Sept. 6:
North Carolina: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Sept. 17:
Kentucky: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Indiana: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Sept. 20:
Wisconsin: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Sept. 21:
West Virginia: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Oklahoma: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
South Dakota: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Georgia: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Arkansas: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Idaho: Absentee, ends Nov. 2
Maryland: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Sept. 22:
South Carolina: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
New Jersey: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Maine: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Michigan: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Mississippi: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
New Hampshire: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Tennessee: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Texas: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Vermont: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Delaware: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Virginia: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Louisiana: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Missouri: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Sept. 27:
Alabama: Absentee, ends Nov. 5
Wyoming: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
North Dakota: Absentee, ends Nov. 5
Iowa: Absentee, ends Nov. 5; Early in-person, ends Nov.5
Illinois: Absentee, ends Nov. 5

Oct. 1:
Washington, DC: Absentee, ends Nov 6
Nebraska: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 5

October 2:
New York: Absentee, ends Nov. 5
Ohio: Absentee, ends Nov. 5; Early in-person, ends Nov. 2* (Secretary of State’s website still lists ending Nov. 2, but the court decision would indicate that it would be extended through Election Day.)
Florida: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Oct. 5:
Connecticut: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Oct. 8:
California: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 5

Oct. 9:
Indiana: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Rhode Island: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
New Mexico: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Montana: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Utah: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Oct. 11:
Arizona: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 2

Oct. 12:
Alaska: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Oct. 15:
Colorado: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Georgia: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2

Oct. 16:
Massachusetts: Absentee; ends Nov. 6

Oct. 17:
Kansas: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Nevada: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Hawaii: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Tennessee: Early in-person, ends Nov. 1

Oct. 18:
North Carolina: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3

Oct. 19:
Oregon: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Washington: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Oct. 20:
Nevada: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2
New Mexico: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3

Oct. 22:
Alaska: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Arkansas: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Illinois: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3
North Dakota: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Colorado: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2
Washington D.C.: Early in-person, Nov. 3
Texas: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2
Wisconsin: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2

Oct. 23:
Utah: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2
Hawaii: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3
Louisiana: Early in-person, ends Nov. 30
Pennsylvania: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Oct. 24:
West Virginia: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3

Oct. 27:
Maryland: Early in-person, ends Nov. 1
Florida: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3

Nov. 2:
Oklahoma: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5















Source: Early Voting Information Center at Reed College