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Louisiana BOE begins Voter Registration and Voter Education week

The Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office is pushing statewide public service announcements this week as Louisiana’s annual Voter Registration and Voter Education week gets under way.

The Secretary of State’s office says it will be using the week to remind voters of the importance of accurate voter registration and of major changes going into effect this year, such as closed congressional primaries. Registration drives are also being held in Caddo and Bossier Parishes.

“It’s gonna be a confusing election,” said Secretary of State Press Secretary Jacques Berry.

Read more.

FedEx, Overseas Vote Foundation Team Up to Ease Ballot Shipping Woes

Seeking to alleviate a top concern for overseas absentee voters, FedEx will team up with the Overseas Vote Foundation- a nonprofit that helps overseas and military voters to participate and vote- and ship ballots for free or at heavy discounts this fall, the company announced this week. Read more.

501(c)(3)s and 501(c)(4)s: AFJ's Question of the Week

From Alliance for Justice's Advocacy Blog, 6/30/2008:

Question: A 501(c)(4) organization would like to join our coalition of 501(c)(3)s to carry on nonpartisan voter registration and mobilization activities. Can we allow the 501(c)(4) into the coalition?

Answer: Yes, so long as the 501(c)(4) abides by the rules for 501(c)(3)s. As detailed in Alliance for Justice’s publication The Connection: Strategies for Creating and Operating 501(c)(3)s, 501(c)(4)s, and Political Organizations, 501(c)(3)s may engage in voter registration and education with 501(c)(4)s or 527s as long as the activities are conducted in a strictly nonpartisan manner. While the participating non-501(c)(3)s may engage in their own partisan activities – subject to federal, state, and local tax and election laws – these activities must remain completely separate from the nonpartisan activities conducted jointly with 501(c)(3)s.

AIGA's Election Design Top Ten

Read AIGA's (American Institute of Graphic Artists) "Election Design Top Ten" a set of good principles for creating get-out-the-vote posters. The Top Ten list was collected from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) report on ballot and polling place design guidelines, crafted by AIGA in July 2007 and distributed to 6,000 election officials across the country in January 2008.

Disability Nonprofit Celebrates, Gets Out the Vote

An enthusiastic crowd of over 150 people attended the annual meeting of the Progress Center for Independent Living one recent Saturday afternoon at the Mohr Community Center. Celebrating the Forest Park-based, non-profit organization's 20th anniversary, the annual party served as an opportunity to share information, promote advocacy, and empower people with disabilities.

Consumers of the Progress Center, who seek services through the organization, visited several booths offering information on voter registration and rights, paratransit information, and the West Suburban Access News Association, which provides information about programs and services for persons with disabilities.

Community organizer Sam Knight reminded consumers about the "I'd Vote" initiative, encouraging people with disabilities to register and vote in this year's election. "The best way to advocate the rights of people with disabilities is through elected officials," Knight said. "And the only way legislation can be changed is if we are registered voters."

Read more.

Visit the Coalition of Citizens With Disabilities website.

Univision and ‘Ya es Hora’ National Partners Join Mayors from Top Hispanic Cities

Univision Communications Inc., the nation's leading Spanish-language media company, and the “Ya es Hora” (It's Time) national partners, announced the expansion of its civic engagement campaign through new partnerships with mayors in the top Hispanic cities to register and mobilize voters. Mayors partnering in this effort include New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Houston Mayor Bill White. Learn more.

Craigslist BootCamp

Join Craigslist Foundation for a day of knowledge, resources and networking, all focused on how to start and run a vibrant nonprofit. Nonprofit Boot Camp is designed to educate and empower the next generation of nonprofit leaders and social entrepreneurs, connecting them with valuable industry resources, peers and potential supporters. The 2008 New York Tri-State Area Nonprofit Boot Camp will be held Saturday, August 16 at New York University. For more information about the event and how to register, click here.

Video the Vote

Video the Vote's goal is to be the eyes and ears where ballots are cast and counted. Ordinary citizens, armed with video cameras, become journalists and reporters as they document irregularities at polling places and boards of elections on Election Day. The effort enables the media and public to watch-dog the electoral process across the country. Sign up to volunteer to Video the Vote today! View a list of resources for volunteers, including videography tips, election-day guidelines, and uploading instructions.