[statecom-discuss] Fwd: Last GRP announcements before the primary

[Eli Beckerman]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Eli Beckerman <elibeck at gmail.com>
Date: Feb 1, 2008 5:56 PM
Subject: Last GRP announcements before the primary
To: "This is the Communication/Media working committee email list." <
comcom at green-rainbow.org>


I have sent out the press release below, because we have learned that
the Elections Office is looking to not respond until *after* the primary,
which
basically negates the potential to set things right.

I would like to send out one more notice to the Announcements list tomorrow,
and perhaps a final one on Monday.

Please let me know any thoughts for what should be included in these two
announcements.

I am thinking

*Saturday*
* press release
* call for LTEs, sample LTEs
* call for letters/calls to galvin's office
* info on poll-watching

*Monday
** reminder to vote
* grp voter hotline

If anyone can craft any of this, that would be very helpful!


Here's the press release:

Green-Rainbow Party

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 1, 2008
CONTACTS:     GRP Co-chairs Nat Fortune (413-665-6739) and Merelice
(617-277-1757)
            GRP Comm. Director Eli Beckerman,
communications.director at green-rainbow.org

Secretary of Commonwealth fails to act on Green-Rainbow Party complaint.
Party seeks corrective press release and equal treatment on election day.

The Green-Rainbow Party's formal complaint to the Secretary of the
Commonwealth William Galvin, seeking simple remedies for being sidelined in
Galvin's publicity for the February 5 primary, will not be acted upon before
the primary, the Party learned today.

In its January 24 complaint, the Party sought to redress unequal treatment
in television PSAs, in which Secretary Galvin encouraged eligible voters to
participate in Tuesday's presidential primary, reminding unenrolled voters
that they can now choose either a Republican or Democratic ballot without
changing their independent status. The Green-Rainbow Party co-chairs pointed
out that Galvin neglected to mention the availability of the Green-Rainbow
ballot, which has a contested presidential primary. The PSA also neglected
to mention the availability of Working Families Party ballots. The co-chairs
asked for a response by Monday, January 28, but have not yet received word
of planned remediation.

Responding to a call from the Greenfield Recorder, a spokeswoman for
Galvin's office, Nancy Driscoll, stated, "The letter is being reviewed, and
we will respond to the letter. Right now we're focused on the election."

"At this late date, the immediate focus of the Secretary's Office should be
a corrective press release, highlighting the Party's participation in the
Primary," urged Merelice, female co-chair of the Green-Rainbow Party. "This
should be followed by a diligent effort on election day and night to give
equal treatment to voting results from the Green-Rainbow Primary."

"We know that Secretary Galvin took an oath to dispense the duties of his
office impartially," said Nat Fortune, male co-chair of the Party. "We asked
for simple remedies that would correctly inform Massachusetts voters of all
of their choices. Unfortunately it appears that Secretary Galvin plans to
respond once it will no longer matter -- if at all."

"Since media coverage has often left out Green-Rainbow Party information,"
explained Merelice, "we are still looking for copies of press announcements
from the Secretary's office that provided primary day information to the
media."

"We have exciting and capable presidential candidates," asserted Fortune,
"and the voters of Massachusetts have an equal right to know about and vote
for them. It is disgraceful that Secretary Galvin will not even attempt to
ensure that all voters are equally informed by his office."

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