From an acquaintance in Ohio... --brendan

I wanted to share my experiences today as a volunteer for the Election Protection organization.

When I arrived at the meeting place, I was welcomed by the person from D.C. and the local liaison heading up the effort in the Cincinnati area. Groups were already preparing to go out in the "field" to hand out Ohio Voter's Bill of Rights flyers. I was paired up with a woman from Seattle, a female Unitarian minister from Evansville Indiana, and a couple from Bloomington Indiana. There were many from out of town and few from the local area. We were given an "apron" type garment to put over our clothes - black with white letters, "You Have The Right To Vote" on the front and Election Protection volunteer on the back. Flyers in hand, we headed out.

Our district to "educate" was Hamilton County district 10D - a very poor, predominantly african american neighborhood adjacent to Downtown Cincinnati. We split up 2/3 and placed signs on various corners that say, "Having Trouble Voting? Call 1-866 - OUR-VOTE". We personally handed out voter's rights to people we met on the street. There were some interesting conversations. On man indicated that the "round up" had already begun. We didn't understand.

He said that the Cincinnati Police had begun arresting people in that area for various violations such as loitering, or parking...basically anything that would keep african american voters out of the polls. That explained why many of the streets were like a "ghost town". Normally on a nice day, there would be many in the streets in that area. I witnessed several police cars just parked on a couple of different streets. We reported this information back to the coordinator. This organization has many volunteer attorneys and law students to assist with potential voter's rights violations already taking place and which will continue through Tuesday. They said they would send some representatives down to the court house.

We forged on. A conversation with a young woman, angry with the way the City has neglected these areas, and still angry about the police brutality that sparked the 2001 riots indicated that "...there will be riots on Tuesday. You know there will be riots."

Another young man, 26, stated that "...I've never been interested in politics before. But you know, I asked my friends, "are you voting?"....We've got to get out there Tuesday and vote. I tell them that. Give me several of those flyers." Three different young men told us they never received their voting cards after they registered. We suggested for them to take their ID and a utility bill or something that verifies their address to the polls with them Tuesday. Overall, many said they are getting out in large numbers - they are going early - and those with cars are picking up others that may need rides.

Later we took flyers to a local church - a lovely building. We met up with a church member who is a part of the Kerry campaign. She showed us her data on the number of voters already challenged in their areas. This number is 5808 in Hamilton County alone. She said that it would be important for us to be at the precincts with the most challenges as those seem to be the vulnerable precincts. We agreed and forwarded that info back to the coordinator.

When church let out - we passed out voter's rights flyers to the folks as they came out. All were very nice and very grateful to have this information. As I prepared to leave for home, I offered the woman from Seattle a ride back to her hotel room. "No", she said, "if I'm just sitting around my hotel room, I'll just fret over all of this. I'd rather stay busy and assist back at the meeting place for a while". I can relate to that statement.

With "no time" left until the election, I witnessed first hand the passion fueled in those ready - many for the first time - to be heard. Heard by the sound of a punch in a ballot card rather than the screams of anger or the sound of a bottle crashing through a window. Voices heard in large numbers....voices that cannot be silenced by simply discarding their ballots, or by intimidation or the like. I really think that people just wanted to know that someone genuinely cares - and cares that they exercise their right to vote. As draining as today was for me, it felt good to get out there and help educate others and have good conversation with good people.

What was draining was the reality of the situation. The fact remains that Ohio is heating up in this election and nearly at the boiling point. Ohio may be the "Florida" of 2000...and if so, the fueled passions in this state will ignite a fire that will not extinguish easily. Thank goodness it's almost Tuesday.