[WestMALocals] VOTE for a change: June 11, 2005

[Nat Fortune]

Are you happy with the voting system and politics as usual? Or would 
you vote for a change?
 
Fairvote Massachusetts knows that we have some catching up to do. 
Connecticut is moving quickly toward the public financing of election 
campaigns. The State of Washington has approved a pilot program for 
Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) and so has North Carolina. So here in 
Massachusetts, we really need to ratchet up the pressure for electoral 
reform. That's why the June 11 conference is so important.
 
The conference is called "VOTE for a change!" and it's happening 
Saturday June 11 at Clark University (Higgins University Center) in 
Worcester, Massachusetts. The co-sponsors are Common Cause 
Massachusetts, the Commonwealth Coalition, Mass Voters for Fair 
Elections, and Progressive Democrats of America. [Local organizers: 
Eric Chester, Nat Fortune, Emily Lewis and Peter Vickery]
 
You can register for the conference online today at www.fairvotemass.com

Jill Stein, president of the Massachusetts Coalition for Healthy 
Communities and former Green-Rainbow nominee for Governor, is the 
keynote speaker. Panelists include Pam Wilmot, executive director of 
Common Cause Massachusetts; Alex Rusell of Mass Voters for Fair 
Election; John Templeton, former president of SEIU Local 509; Deb 
Rigiero of the Massachusetts Nurses Association; Theresa Hommel, from 
the Task Force on Election Integrity; Rich Zitola, former Green Rainbow 
senatorial candidate; Eric Chester, Socialist Party candidate for 
Congress in 2002; and Ronnie Dugger, founder of the Alliance for 
Democracy and author of "How They Could Steal the Election This Time."
 
There are workshops and panels on independent redistricting; the new 
Fair Elections Financing bill; framing the debate on Instant Runoff 
Voting; fusion/cross-endorsement; Proportional Representation; black 
box voting; and grassroots acion and lobbying. And we will have music 
from the Bard Insurgent, Tom Neilson.
 
The conference is an opportunity for electoral reformers from across 
Massachusetts to strategize for success. I really hope you can be 
there. The suggested fee is $5.00-$15.00, but nobody will be turned 
away for lack of funds. Please register for "VOTE for a change" today: 
www.fairvotemass.com

--Peter
***********************
Peter Vickery
Fairvote Massachusetts
PO Box 300
Amherst, MA 01004-0300
Tel. (413) 549 9933

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