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Friday, October 31
Iowa Students Encouraged to Check Their Registration Status
by
Linda Thieman
on Fri 31 Oct 2008 08:12 AM CDT
Iowa Students Encouraged to Check Their Registration Status
Campus Progress
 Don't Fall through the Crack!
Campus Progress, a leading national progressive youth organization, launched a national campaign yesterday that encourages students in Iowa to check their registration before they head to the polls. With a record number of new registrations this year, Campus Progress is concerned that students may have questions or concerns about their registration status, or that they might encounter obstacles that prevent them from voting. The ad, “Don’t Fall through the Crack,” will appear in various college and university newspapers such as the Iowa State Daily, the Daily Iowan, The Times-Delphic, and others. It targets young voters in key states and states with same day registration and voting – including Colorado, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania – providing them with the resources they need to answer their questions and help ensure a smooth registration and voting experience.
“This year, young voters are more engaged in the election and educated about the issues than ever before. They are being directly affected by a declining job market and skyrocketing student debt, and want to have a role in shaping the next four years of this country,” said Erica Williams, Policy and Advocacy Manager for Campus Progress. “All too often, though, young people arrive at the polls, only to find that their registration was never processed or that they were sent the wrong polling location. The new ad enables young people to check their registration before going to the polls. It’s an effort to reduce the barriers young people might face on election day and make sure the youth vote is heard loud and clear.”
Along with Campus Progress, a coalition of national young voter groups, including the Fair Elections Legal Network and Rock the Vote, has come together to monitor the polls on Tuesday and prevent any attempts to suppress the youth vote.
“This year alone, more than 9 million new voters have decided to register and cast their ballots on Election Day,” added Williams. “At Campus Progress, we are committed to making sure nothing stands in their way of taking that first step towards life long civic engagement.”
In GOTV news...
Today is the last day to donate to any campaign for the donation to make a difference before Tuesday. However, the ground game is kicking into high gear.
To participate in the Get out the Vote effort near you, click here. We need your help! Poll numbers don't matter if no one actually votes. Thank you.
Thursday, October 30
Early Voting in Iowa Surpasses 400,000; Obama in Des Moines Friday, Oct. 31
by
Linda Thieman
on Thu 30 Oct 2008 01:49 PM CDT
Early Voting in Iowa Surpasses 400,000; Obama in Des Moines Friday, Oct. 31
 Iowa's early vote total has now reached 400,829, with that number being made up of Democrats -- 48.3%, Republicans -- 28.6%, and No Party -- 23.1%, according to United States Elections Project.
That figure represents 26.3% of the total votes cast by Iowans in the 2004 presidential election (total votes cast in 2004 in Iowa: 1,521,966).
These figures were updated as of October 29, 2008.
In Obama news...
Barack Obama will be in Des Moines tomorrow, October 31.
Early Vote for Change Rally
with Barack Obama
Western Gateway Park
Between 12th St. and 13th St., Grand Ave. and Locust St.
Des Moines, IA 50309
Friday, October 31st
Gates Open: 9:30 a.m.
Program Begins: 11:30 a.m.
The event is free and open to the public; tickets are not required, but an RSVP is encouraged.
Public Entrance: Walnut St. and 12th St.
Parking is limited; car pooling and public transportation are recommended. The free Downtown Shuttle will be available from any of the Des Moines parking facilities.
For security reasons, do not bring bags or umbrellas. Please limit personal items. No signs or banners allowed.
Join in the GOTV Effort
Click here to find a GOTV effort in your town. Volunteers needed!
Wednesday, October 22
Calling All Iowans: The Great 5th District Needs Your Help!
by
Linda Thieman
on Wed 22 Oct 2008 05:12 AM CDT
Calling All Iowans: The Great 5th District Needs Your Help!
by Linda Thieman
 We’re down to the wire here, with less than two weeks to go before we get yet another chance to eject Congressman Steve King (R) from office here in Iowa’s 5th District. We, who were once truly represented by the likes of the great Berkley Bedell, have been stuck with Ol’ Bush Clone for too long. So many excellent Democratic challengers have invested their time and effort to unseat him, only to come up against that wall of blindness about the true nature of the Bush Administration that is at the foundation of the destruction of this once great land.
Well, I’m sure in some Alternate Universe, one of these wonderful Dems is actually serving to represent the Alternate 5th District in some version of Alternate Iowa. But not here. We are still stuck with a total lack of representation. King is a Bush soldier who votes as Bush Rove tells him to, which has nothing to do with Iowa’s 5th District.
But, this year, there is a great blue wave of healing washing over the country and indeed, penetrating into even the conservative 5th in Iowa. With the U.S. economy in collapse, even those with the most narrow vision are beginning to wake up to the possibility that the current Republican agenda may not be right for us.
So, now is our chance! We’ve got a wonderful Democrat running against King right now, named Rob Hubler. And he needs your help. Hubler, whose extremely accurate campaign slogan is “Real Representation,” served for many years on U.S. Navy submarines and later as a Presbyterian minister. He coordinated the congressional campaigns of both Tom Harkin and Dick Clark. And he also chaired Fairfield Citizens for Peace, a community group that actively protested the Vietnam War. Rob Hubler is just what we need to reach out to the many different factions in the 5th District of Iowa and actually serve to represent us all—ironically, something that seems to be a foreign concept over here.
Please donate to Hubler’s campaign. At this point, any help you can give will make a difference.
Tuesday, October 21
Iowa Events: Find Volunteer Opportunities in Your Area
by
Linda Thieman
on Tue 21 Oct 2008 05:00 AM CDT
Iowa Events: Find Volunteer Opportunities in Your Area
 Go here and then click on Find Events.
Here are just a few of the many Iowa events listed for this week.
Vote Early for Change! It's Easy!! (Early Voting Event)
The Broadway Neighborhood Center is having an Early Voting site from 1AM-7PM on Wednesday, October 22 at 2105 Broadway St., Iowa City, IA. Any eligible Johnson County resident can register and vote at the site, and we need to let people know!!
Volunteer to help flier, canvass, and do visibility in the area on Tuesday and Wednesday! Please call Franz (319) 504-3977 if you want to help.
Times:
Tuesday, October 21 from 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday, October 22 from 1:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Host: Franz Hochstrasser
Contact Phone: 319 504-3977
Location:
Broadway Neighborhood Center and Surrounding Neighborhood (Iowa City, IA)
2105 Broadway St.
Iowa City, IA 52240
Countdown to change Canvass! (Canvass)
We will be braving the weather (outside of snow and ice) to take our message of hope and change to the masses in Altoona and on the extreme Eastside of DSM. Join us to change the course of history!
Times:
Tuesday, October 21 from 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Wednesday, October 22 from 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Thursday, October 23 from 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Host: Matthew Peirce
Contact Phone: 515-447-5884
Location:
Geri Huser Campaign Office (Altoona, IA)
204 8th St SE
Altoona, IA 50009
Ron Livingston at ISU (Phone Bank)
Come out to help Barack Obama by making some phone calls and get to meet Ron Livingston as well!
Time: Wednesday, October 22 from 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Host: Anthony Maly
Contact Phone: 515.268.0313
Location:
ISU Memorial Union, Multicultural Center (Ames, IA)
Lincoln Way
Ames, IA 50014
GOTV: The Prequel (Canvass)
Canvass launches at 10am and 2pm at the Mason City Campaign for Change office. Help us test out our organizational strength and get trained for GOTV!!
Times: Friday, October 24 at 10:00 AM, 2:00 PM
Host: Kevin Geiken
Location:
Campaign for Change headquarters (Mason City, IA)
517 1st St NW
Mason City, IA 50401
Audubon Canvass (Canvass)
Come help us knock on doors for Obama!
Time: Friday, October 24 from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Host: William Minich
Location:
Albert the Bull Park (Audubon, IA)
Audubon, IA 50025
Sunday, October 19
Iowa Sitting Pretty For November 4th
by
Linda Thieman
on Sun 19 Oct 2008 05:00 AM CDT
Iowa Sitting Pretty For November 4th
by Jerry Depew, Iowa Voters for Open and Transparent Elections
 With all the scare stories now arising about the upcoming election, it’s time to remind ourselves that Iowa looks pretty good. We won’t have (shouldn’t have) long lines to vote on election day. We won’t have any touchscreens to go awry. We won’t have many registration problems. Let’s review our enviable situation.
No Touchscreens. This is Iowa’s signature accomplishment. We owe a big debt to Secretary of State Mauro who traded in the touchscreens as his first major step in office. Now all of us get to vote on paper. Polling places can arrange as many ballot marking booths as they need to prevent lines of voters. No votes will be lost to the dastardly touchscreen gadgets. It’s because of this victory that this blog has been so quiet lately. No sense in pointing out the state’s shortcomings when such a major change has just been engineered.
No Registration Problems. Iowans can register until the end of next week. If they miss that date, they get a second chance on election day. This means hardly any provisional ballots will be needed. Everyone with a good ID card should be able to vote without any prior preparation. You can check your registration right now at this website.
The Brennan Center (with help from Sean Flaherty of Iowans for Voting Integrity) has released a major report on the status of election readiness. Iowa is one of eight states given credit for “best practices” in ballot accounting and reconciliation. See the third map.
On the other hand, we fall into the black space on the bottom map regarding audits of the machine readout. That’s Mauro’s next challenge. Someone needs to hand count some ballots after the polls close to see that the machines got it right in their hi-speed readings. Haste makes waste! Slow down and double check the damned things!
That challenge is for the government to face next legislative session. If we get good audits we can join the list of only six states that get shaded green on the top map (Alaska, Oregon, California, North Carolina, and our neighbors Missouri and Minnesota).
For now Iowa voters should see a welcoming environment at the polls. Any snafus will be local–not the fault of state law. Take advantage of our enviable situation by voting.
Our thanks to Jerry Depew of Laurens, Iowa, for his long association in sharing his original articles with Blog for Iowa.
Thursday, October 16
I'M for Iowa: Support These Clean Money Candidates
by
Linda Thieman
on Thu 16 Oct 2008 05:00 AM CDT
I'M for Iowa: Support These Clean Money Candidates
Ed Fallon and Lynn Heuss
 I'M for Iowa's top priority is to help elect progressive Democrats this fall. There are plenty of great candidates, but we want to focus on helping the six Iowa legislative candidates who have made Voter Owned Iowa Clean Elections (VOICE) a top priority.
LET’S SHOW THAT “VOICE” SUPPORTERS WIELD SOME CLOUT! If at least 200 people send $5 to each of these candidates, it will send a strong message to House and Senate leaders that Iowans want VOICE passed next session. If you can send $5 to just one candidate, please do it. If you can send more than $5 to each, go for it.
You can donate through Act Blue.
1. Go to http://www.actblue.com/
2. Click “Candidate Directory” (at the top of the home page)
3. Under “State” click on “IA”
4. Under “Candidates for” click “State House”
5. Referencing the “IA HD” (Iowa House District) tabs on the left and the page tab at the bottom, find districts 14 (Kuhn), 16 (Beard), 27 (Isenhart), 47 (Temere) and 50 (Gentry)
6. Click “See who’s raising” under each candidate’s name
7. Under “Who’s Supporting{Candidate Name}” click “VOICE Supporters for {Name}”
8. Finally, hit the green “Contribute” button and follow the remaining instructions
Here are the five House candidates we encourage you to support:
HD 14: MARK KUHN, Floyd and Mitchell counties. A ten-year incumbent, Mark has returned over $10,000 in PAC money this election. Besides his support for VOICE, Mark’s a leader in the fight for stronger hog confinement regulations. His address is Citizens for Kuhn, 2667 240th St, Charles City 50616.
HD 16: JOHN BEARD, Winneshiek and Allamakee counties. John’s candidacy could turn this open seat from red to blue. VOICE is a center-piece of his campaign, and he limits his PAC contributors to labor unions. Contact Beard for Statehouse, 2072 Hwy 9, Decorah 52101 or visit http://www.beardforstatehouse.com.
HD 27: CHUCK ISENHART, Dubuque. Chuck won a tough primary as a champion of campaign finance reform. He accepts PAC donations only from groups that have formally endorsed VOICE. Contact Campaign for the Common Good, PO Box 3353, Dubuque 52004 or visit http://www.commongoodcampaign.com.
HD 47: SUE TEMERE, Dallas County. Sue’s taking on a Republican incumbent who’s been opposed to nearly every progressive position you can think of. Contact Friends of Susan Temere, PO Box 743, Waukee 50263.
HD 50: LYNNE GENTRY, Calhoun, Greene and Webster counties. This is Lynne’s second attempt to unseat a Republican incumbent, and this time she’s doing it without PAC or lobbyist money. Contact her at Citizens for Gentry, 3120 Kingsley Ave, Rockwell City 50579.
And in the Iowa Senate:
Senate District 14, PAM JOCHUM of Dubuque has been the Legislature’s most vocal champion for campaign finance reform. She served sixteen years in the House and never accepted PAC money. Pam doesn’t have an Act Blue page, but you can send a check to People for Pam Jochum, 2368 Jackson St, Dubuque 52001.
Through our donations and through spreading the word to voters we know in these districts, please do what you can for these candidates. LET’S SHOW THAT WE’RE TIRED OF BIG MONEY CONTROLLING THE POLITICAL PROCESS!
Wednesday, October 15
Early Vote Rally with Howard Dean in Clinton, CR, Davenport and UNI October 15th and 16th
by
Linda Thieman
on Wed 15 Oct 2008 12:19 AM CDT
Early Vote Rally with Howard Dean in Clinton, CR, Davenport and UNI October 15th and 16th
 Must RSVP to attend in Clinton!
MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELF - VOTE EARLY EITHER BY MAIL OR AT THE CLINTON COUNTY AUDITOR'S OFFICE
National Democratic Chair Howard Dean will lead an early voting rally at Horace Mann School in Clinton, IA.
9:00 AM, Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Horace Mann School
250 20th Ave North, Clinton
Get it? That's right next to the Auditor's office in the County Administratioin Building.
Open to the public, but you must RSVP in order to attend. RSVP by calling (563) 505-5729. (Clinton only.)
Howard Dean
St. Ambrose University
Galvin Fine Arts Center
Gaines Street, two blocks north of Locust
Davenport
Wednesday, October 15
10:45am
Howard Dean
Cedar Falls
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1:00pm
University of Northern Iowa
Lang Hall Auditorium
1227 27th Street
Cedar Falls, IA
Howard Dean
Thursday, October 16th
2:45pm, Cedar Rapids
Kirkwood Community College
Iowa Hall, Rooms C and D
6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW
Cedar Rapids
* For more information, contact Jennifer Lee with the Obama Campaign at (515) 321-6232.
Monday, October 13
Over 200,000 Iowans Have Already Voted
by
Linda Thieman
on Mon 13 Oct 2008 05:00 AM CDT
200,000 Iowans Have Already Voted
by Mike Glover, Associated Press
 Though the election is still [three weeks] away, nearly 200,000 Iowans have already cast their ballots and the pace of early voting is likely to quicken, election officials said.
Still, the pace of early voting isn't keeping pace with the election four years ago when groups such as MoveOn.org made absentee voting a centerpiece of their strategy. . . .
Four years ago, 460,059 people cast ballots before the election, nearly a third of the 1,506,008 who voted. As of [a week ago], 191,718 had cast ballots, but a shift in political strategy could swell that number quickly.
Click here to read the full article.
Download your Iowa Absentee Ballot request form here.
Vote Early!
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