Final Registration Push By Union, Immigrants Could Help Obama
BY BUDDY NEVINS
With a week left to sign up voters for the November election, a coalition of activist groups have increased their registration effort.
Polls show a very close race in Florida. So this drive could spell the difference for President Barack Obama.
Mi Familia Vota, Florida Immigrant Coalition, Florida New Majority, and the Florida State Council of the Service Employees International Union announced a goal Wednesday of registering thousands of more new voters.
These are the groups that the GOP loves to hate.
And it because groups like these that the Republican Legislature tried to make registration more difficult.
But a federal judge thwarted the Republicans. In August, the judge struck down the new restrictions on voter registration. His decision unleashed these groups.
The four organizations will be out in force until next Tuesday Oct. 9, when the voting rolls close.
It is anticipated that the majority of the new voters signed up will be from immigrant groups and the working poor.
These are the folks attacked by Mitt Romney as freeloaders living off the government teat in that secret video from a Boca Raton fund raiser.
Just who do you think most of these new voters will support?
In Florida’s neck-and-neck race, thousands of new Democratic-leaning voters could make the difference.
I can hear Fox commentators gnashing their teeth.
Just look at the figured announced by the groups today:
- Florida New Majority Education Fund has a goal of registering 15,000 people in Duval, Broward and Miami-Dade counties by the registration deadline on Oct. 9.
- The Florida Immigration Coalition reported registering 2,600 new voters to this date, reaching Latino, Haitian and Brazilian voters in Broward County and rural communities in Central Florida, mainly in Orange, Volusia, Indian River and Lake County.
- Mi Familia Vota’s new registrations topped 30,000 this week.
“Reaching our voter registration goal of 30,000 new registered voters in Tampa, Orlando, and Kissimmee is a testament that the Latino community is realizing its full potential,” said Yulissa M. Arce, Mi Familia Vota’s Florida State Coordinator.
Hey, white-bread Republicans. Welcome to the new Florida.
“Despite attempts to disenfranchise Latino voters in Florida through HB1355 and the governor’s purge list, our community is showing in large numbers that they will participate in the democratic process through civic engagement and making their voices heard through the ballot box,” Arce continued.
Take that, Rush!
Now the key for team Obama will be to get these voters to the polls.
Expect Republican lawyers to be on hand at the polls to challenge as many of these voters as they can. Expect Democratic lawyers to challenge the Republicans.
Expect the rest of us to wait in line fuming while feuding lawyers hold up the voting.
October 3rd, 2012 at 3:44 pm
I registered 12 voters this past weekend and going to be registering more this next weekend.
Out of that were 7 Democrats, 3 Independents and 2 Republicans.
My son registered 25 this summer and got tons to volunteer for the Obama campaign.
Yes, you are correct, these people now need to go vote on November 6!
October 3rd, 2012 at 3:57 pm
Whoa! Buddy, Tell us how you really feel. Did you let Sam punch this up for you.
October 3rd, 2012 at 4:43 pm
Ohio is the bigger electoral prize, not FL.
and Broward is just one of a few blue counties in FL.
It won’t be over till the fat lady sings, regardless of how many tickets are sold to the event.
FROM BUDDY:
The speculation today is that Romney may pull the bulk of his campaign money out of Ohio and move it to states where he is closer in the polls, like Florida.
October 3rd, 2012 at 6:28 pm
Buddy that sounds correct, but depending on how first debate goes tonight. There are alot of men in OH and they are overwhelmingly voting Romney.
Do the voters understand the electoral process versus the popular vote? Seems Obama is awfully close to that 270 number already excepting the few states in play, FL, OH, CO, NV.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_College_(United_States)
shows the + and – electoral votes since the last census in 2000.
October 3rd, 2012 at 6:39 pm
“Now the key for team Obama will be to get these voters to the polls.”
That won’t be necessary. Just get them registered. Since it’s racist to ask anyone to show an id to vote, anyone can walk in and vote under the names of these new “voters” after they’re on the voter rolls.
October 3rd, 2012 at 8:24 pm
You highlight the problem. Romney and the GOP can only win if their disgraceful voter suppression is successful. They want to rob any immigrant (except Cuban), poor person and black of their right to vote. Romney should change his name to Jim Crow.
October 7th, 2012 at 6:55 am
The election is not a tough guy exhibition. If you want tough vote for Obama. He had the guts to end a war and bring our troops home. He gave the order to end Ben Laden and get justice for 911.Romney has not done a thing except to show us his income tax. I want to know who our next President is and how he pays his fair share on earnings. What is Romney hiding ????