Election Protection's final push to ready for vote tomorrow

The Freedom Unlimited Building is at 2201 Wylie Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 -- and the training is slated for tonight from 6 to 7:30 pm.

PRESS CONTACT: Celeste Taylor, 412-670-0937
Stacey Gates, 240-274-5400/sgates@pfaw.org

Election Protection Coalition Operates Statewide Hotline for Pennsylvania Voters in Primary

Poll watchers to be deployed in Allegheny County

Election Protection Volunteer Training, Monday, April 21, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

On April 22, the nonpartisan Election Protection (EP) coalition will operate its national hotline, 1-866-OUR VOTE (1-866-687-8683), to provide live assistance to voters in Pennsylvania's April 22 primary. The EP coalition is working with allies across the state to dispatch poll monitors in key precincts, and PFAWF is coordinating these efforts for the coalition in Pittsburgh to help solve problems that may arise on Election Day.

We invite you to cover the Election Protection coalition's volunteer training:

When: Monday, April 21, 2008, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Where: Freedom Unlimited Building, 2201 Wylie Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (next door to the NAACP Building in the Historic Hill District.)

The toll-free voter assistance hotline will provide voters with live, free legal and general assistance to help them vote. Volunteers trained in election law will assist voters with questions such as:

- where and when to vote

- what kind of ID may be required

- whether to vote on a provisional ballot or emergency ballot

- what to do if their names have been removed from the voting lists

- what to do if they have since been directed to the wrong polling place

- what to do if they are challenged at the polls

The hotline will be available to all Pennsylvania voters on April 22, and will collect reports about voting problems that arise. The data will inform efforts to improve the election system before the general election in November, and the information will be made available to the news media and the public. In addition, on-the-ground poll monitors and roving attorneys will be deployed in Allegheny County as a pilot project for the November election.

PFAWF has been engaged in on-the-ground poll monitoring and voter education in Pennsylvania since 2004. Allegheny County has continued to experience problems that have the potential to disenfranchise thousands of vulnerable voters including poll worker recruitment and training; the availability of voting machines and polling place resources; improper use of provisional ballots and emergency ballots; the statewide voter registration database and voter registration problems; and voter education and voter outreach.

The EP coalition includes People For the American Way Foundation, NAACP National Voter Fund, B-PEP - The Black Political Empowerment Project, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, PA League of Young Voters Education Fund, Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh Young Professionals, PA Common Cause, PA Disability Voter Coalition, VotePA, VoteAllegheny, Voter Action, PA Voice, League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh, Freedom Unlimited, Spiritual Progressives, and Everybody VOTE.

EP works year-round to safeguard the right to vote of historically disenfranchised voters, including Hispanic, African-American, youth, disabled and low-income voters. For more information about Election Protection, visit www.EP365.org or call Celeste Taylor at 412-670-0937 or Stacey Gates at 202-467-4999.