To: Board of Directors and Trustees of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; Local Affiliates and Friends of the Lawyers' Committee

From: Barbara R. Arnwine, Thomas J. Henderson and Diane L. Gross

Urgent Action Needed

National Call in Day to Urge Election Reform on Decemeber 12!!!

Over the last month there have been ongoing negotiations in the United States Senate to get bipartisan election reform legislation passed before Congress adjourns for the year. Senators Dodd, Schumer, Bond and McConnell have been working on an agreement which can be on the floor of the Senate before the end of the year. It is essential that any legislation protect the rights of all Americans to vote.

We urgently request that all of those concerned with seeing strong electoral reform legislation enacted this year contact Senators from their home state to express support for the negotiations but demand that election reform include federal minimum standards for voting systems, access for people with disabilities, provisional balloting, voter education, and a statewide voter registration system which has safeguards against erroneous purging and is available at the polling place.

WHAT IS NEEDED?:
Use the toll-free number listed below to contact members of the Senate to inform them that comprehensive electoral reform must be a priority before Congress adjourns.

Call 1-877-703-9491. You will either be directly connected with your Senator's office or you will be connected to the Capitol switchboard, where you should ask for your Senator's office. Once you are connected with your Senator's office, introduce yourself - give your name and address.

Let them know that they have an essential leadership role to play in securing the fundamental right to vote for all Americans AND stress one of the three points listed below!!!!

IMPORTANT POINTS:

"I am calling to urge (you/the Senator) to support…"

• "…comprehensive electoral reform that includes minimum federal standards for provisional balloting, voting systems that allow people with disabilities, language minorities, and others to cast a secret ballot, and voting systems that notify voters of mis-cast ballots and allows them to correct their ballot before it is cast. Finally, it must include access for voters with disabilities to polling places." OR
• ". . . strong electoral reform that makes it easy to vote and hard to cheat by including minimum standards such as provisional ballots, a statewide computerized voter registration list that is linked to polling places, strong purge protections to protect legal voters, and minimum standards for voting systems. OR
• ". . . the efforts of Senators Dodd, Bond, Schumer, and McConnell to reach a strong compromise bipartisan bill which includes federal minimum standards for voting systems, access for people with disabilities, provisional balloting, and a statewide voter registration system which has safeguards against erroneous purging and is available at the polling place.

IMPORTANT STATES:

COLORADO, VIRGINIA, LOUISIANA, MISSOURI, RHODE ISLAND, GEORGIA, MAINE, ILLINOIS, NEBRASKA, UTAH, ARIZONA, KENTUCKY, PENNSYLVANIA, and OREGON

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT DIANE GROSS AT (202)662-8600 or dgross@lawyerscomm.org.