They might have conceded - but we haven't conceded our right to have our votes count.
The Ohio Citizens Alliance for Secure Elections (CASE-OH), the League of Young Voters, People for the American Way Foundation - a leading member of the Election Protection Coalition, Common Cause Ohio, Ohio Election Reform Now, Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism, WVKO Radio, and Ohio Voterization Project are calling for public hearings to investigate voting irregularities and voter suppression in Ohio surrounding the 2004 General Election.
THIS IS A NONPARTISAN STATEWIDE CALL TO ACTION. VOTERS AND POLL WORKERS FROM AROUND THE STATE ARE INVITED TO TESTIFY.
Saturday November 13, 1-4 PM
New Faith Baptist Church
955 Oak Street
Columbus, Ohio 43205
Monday November 15, 6-9 PM,
Auditorium (Meeting Room A)
Courthouse, 373 S. High St.
Columbus, OH
We are calling for anyone who experienced or observed election
irregularities or voter suppression on Election Day to come forward and
give their testimony.
We are calling for any individuals or organizations that have information about election irregularities or voter suppression that occured before, during or after the elections to give their testimony.
We are calling for our public officials, community representatives and
the media to come and hear the testimony of the people.
We will document and videotape the testimonies for use in a report
and a formal complaint to the Franklin County Board of Elections.
This is a public space to respond to the systemic undermining of our
democratic process and assess how to respond to racial disenfranchisement and suppression of democratic rights.
Citizens, voting experts, and investigative journalists will be invited
to present testimony for the public record documenting instances of voting irregularities and systematic voter suppression. The coalition hopes to expose the systemic undermining of our democratic process that occurred leading up to and on Nov 2, and assess how to respond to racial
disenfranchisement and suppression of democratic rights.
Testimony will be followed by a summary statement of patterns of voting rights violations emerging in the state of Ohio and a discussion of statewide reforms needed to address these issues.
ENDORSERS:
* Ohio State Senator Teresa Fedor
* Ohio State Senator Ray Miller
* Carol Mosley Braun
* Cobb/LaMarche campaign
* League of Pissed Off Voters (www.indyvoter.org)
* freelance journalist Lynn Landes
* Dr. Robert Fitrakis, Ph.D, J.D.
* Bill Moss, community leader/former Columbus School Board Member
* Lawyers Committee For Civil Rights in San Francisco Bay Area
* Medea Benjamin - Code Pink & Global Exchange
* Ted Glick - IPPN
* This Time We're Watching (www.ttww.org)
* Driving Votes (www.drivingvotes.org)
* Chris Vaeth - Truth Force Training Center
* International Labor Communications Association
* No Stolen Elections Coalition (www.nov3.us)
* Liberty Tree
* Black Voices for Peace
* Alliance for Democracy
We are seeking support from US Congressional Representatives, Ohio State Representatives, nonpartisan organizations, and community and national leaders. Experts and investigative reporters are invited to present testimony as well.
Here are a few articles on the types of voter suppression/disenfranchisement that we are hoping to call attention to:
Kerry Won. Greg Palast, Tompaine.com
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/kerry_won_.php
Did Kerry Concede Too Soon? Bob Fitrakis, The Free Press
http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/3/2004/981
Was the Ohio Election Honest and Fair? Institute for Public Accuracy
http://www.accuracy.org/press_releases/PR110304.htm
Worse Than 2000: Tuesday's Electoral Disaster, William Rivers Pitt,
Truthout
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/110804A.shtml
None Dare Call it Voter Suppression and Fraud, Bob Fitrakis, Free Press
http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/3/2004/983
To get involved, sponsor this call, or testify, contact:
ohiohearings@yahoo.com
Amy Kaplan: 614.405.2160
Navina Khanna: 425.269.5194
Naina Khanna
National Field Director
