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24 Feb - 1 Mar, 2008
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Next UPDATED: FEB 26, 2008 REGISTER A NEW NORTH CAROLINA What will it take to win in 2008 and beyond? At TPJ, we believe that Democrats will have to “Register A New North Carolina.” This Power Point presentation was given to the Democratic Women of Durham County recently. It has been turned into a Power Point Show (graphics and audio).
The file is too large to download over the Internet through TPJ, so we have cut a DVD data disc that contains the presentation. Get your copy today by sending your name and mailing address through TPJ’s FEEDBACK, just click the button on the left side of this webpage. A DVD data disc will be mailed to your address within twenty-four hours. In order to play the DVD, you will need: 1. A computer with a DVD drive; 2. MS Power Point ’97 or later edition (or download a free MS Power point reader at 3. Sound capability. Best of all – it is FREE. _____________________________________________ UPDATED: FEB 24, 2008REGISTER A NEW NC Last week, TPJ reported the significant increase in voter registrations across North Carolina in the first 40 days of 2008. (Click here for the story: SIGNS OF LIFE) Public Policy Polling (a TPJ Favorite) adds important points to the discussion, points every Democrat should consider:
Our poll this week showed McCain leading three out of
four age groups against either [Obama or Clinton]. But with the 18-29
demographic Obama leads 59-30 and Clinton leads 55-35. We agree with PPP that increased voter registration is good news for the Democratic Party in North Carolina. And, we concur that if Democrats want to make North Carolina competitive in national elections in 2008, Democrats have to register tens of thousands of NEW voters across the State. Registering 18 to 29 year old citizens is one part of constructing victory in North Carolina. Here are the other foundations to constructing victory: 1. New registrations in all age groups will favor Democrats. The early 2008 registration statistics quoted in last week’s article are a testament to that fact. Early registrations favor Democrats by +4% over Unaffiliated voters and some +10% over Republicans. 2. If new registrations tend to be Democratic, Democrats need to register even MORE new voters. Projecting those numbers out over the 10 months of voter registration or Same Day Voter Registration, Democratic registrations will top Republicans by some 70,000 potential voters. To make NC competitive, we simply need more. There are some 1,000,000 potential voters who are not registered; they are decidedly Democrat voters. 3. It is not only the battle for NEW voter registrations. Democracy North Carolina (a TPJ favorite) (emphasis added) has just released numbers that hold fascinating possibilities for Democrats. “A new county-by-county analysis of voting reveals that an astonishing 2.5 million North Carolinians – two out of every five adult citizens – have not cast a ballot in the past eight years. ‘They didn’t vote in the 2000 or 2004 presidential elections or anytime else,’ said Bob Hall, executive director of Democracy North Carolina, a Durham-based watchdog group. ‘Most of them are registered to vote and just never show up, but about one million are not even registered.’ Two of the largest groups of missing voters – 660,000 African Americans and 760,000 young adults age 18 to 24 – could be especially energized to participate in the May 6 presidential primary, if the pattern of other primary states holds true.” 4. The 66,000 African Americans and 760,000 18 to 24 who are not registered or who are registered but have not voted could indeed turn North Carolina Blue. But, Democrats will have to reach out; register those not registered and inspire participating by those who have not voted. Reaching out requires an organized and effective door to door campaigning by Democrats in their local communities. 5. Same Day Voter Registration will kick in when early voting starts. Democrats need to be on the ground to employ this new tool to increase civic participation and ultimately Democratic Party performance. In TPJ’s estimation, the 2008 General Election cycle will be largely won or lost by the by Labor Day. IF Democrats throughout the State will build the foundations for voter registration and GOTV, Election Day 2008 could truly bring a NEW North Carolina. That possibility is well worth the effort and the contest. At the end of the day we want more North Carolinians who will stand up and say – I am proud to be a member of the Democratic Party. EARLY VOTING At TPJ we are partisan Democrats – and proud of it. But, we step back from partisanship to highlight the overarching opportunities for civic participation in the 2008 election in North Carolina. For the first time in recent history, Democrats will have a contested Presidential Primary – one that could have great influence on determining who will be the Party’s nominee. Excitement is already building – and it will increase as the May primary approaches. The General Election promises a potentially thrilling political contest that this country and North Carolina have not seen in over a generation. It is incumbent that everyone in the political process to make access to the polls as convenient and open as possible. Today, we write about opening more early voting sites in more diverse locations in every North Carolina County. The State Board of Elections has done its part, making $750,000 in grant funds available to counties to help finance more early voting sights. Bob Hall, with Democracy North Carolina, makes the point: The regular deadline to register is April 11. Every county has at least one Early Voting site open Monday through Saturday, from April 17 to May 3. “We’re concerned that counties need to open more Early Voting sites to reduce the stress of long lines on May 6,” Hall said. “Some are doing a good job, but others need to be more aggressive about applying for the grant funds and opening more centers, especially in areas with significant concentrations of young people.” In the past week, election administrators in Wake and Durham counties have begun planning for at least twice as many sites as they original thought were needed. Mecklenburg, Guildford and Buncombe counties will have about 10 sites each, Hall said. “We’d like officials in Forsyth, Pitt and other counties to open more sites,” Hall said. “We can see a train wreck coming – long lines, frustrated voters, over-worked officials – and it doesn’t need to happen.” If it seems common sense that more early voting sites should be opened – think again. Forsyth County is an example: The Forsyth County elections board, in contrast, has tentatively agreed to four early sites: one in downtown Winston-Salem, one in the eastern part of the city, one in Kernersville and one in the Lewisville area. Rob Coffman, the Forsyth County elections director, said he believes that four early sites will be enough. He said that even though he expects higher-than-usual turnout in the up-coming primary, he thinks that the predictions of overwhelming crowds are, in his words, “saber rattling.” “I’m kind of a fiscal conservative when it comes to elections,” Coffman said. “It just seems unnecessary to throw all the money in the world at this primary.” He said that operating a full early-voting site for the entire three-week early-voting period costs about $8,000 or $9,000, which will be paid for with a state grant. Forsyth County has never before had more than one early site in a primary election. But others worry that four sites in Forsyth County may not be enough. Coffman’s thinking actually represents the views of a number of County Election Directors. At TPJ we simply ask, what fundamental constitutional right is more important than the right to vote. If “all the money in the world” is $8,000 or $9,000, it seems a pittance to help enfranchise more citizens into the civic politic. Democrats and Republicans should do their part. Activists in both Parties should be contacting their Party leaders to discuss early voting plans. If the number of early voting sites do not seem to be appropriate to a Primary that may have a 50% turn out (which would indeed be historical), then demand that the local Board of Elections establish more sites. It is not Democrat or Republican – it is about North Carolina citizenship.
Last Update: 02/29/2008 |
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