[Peace-discuss] Champaign elections tomorrow - vote for 3 - call one person who might not vote

[Robert Naiman]

'And the Lord spake, saying, "First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin,
then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the
number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be
three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting
that thou then proceed to three.'

Tomorrow is the primary for the Champaign City Council.

As we all know from both happy and bitter experience, local elections
can often turn on a single vote.

happy: we got the troops out referendum on the ballot in champaign by
a single vote at the champaign township meeting. many of us made last
minute turn-out calls. each one was crucial to the outcome.

not so happy: a recent County Board election was determined by a coin
toss when a recount resulted in a tie.

Three progressive candidates are running as a slate. They are:

Giraldo Rosales
Patricia Avery
Annette Williams

Each has pledged to:

- protect the prohibition of the Human Rights Ordinance against
discrimination on the basis of being a recipient of a Section 8
housing voucher

- support a Citizens Police Review Board in Champaign

- support funding for Township General Assistance from the city's general funds.

It's absolutely essential that people vote for all three of these
candidates. If, for example, Giraldo is re-elected but no other
progressive candidates are, you can say goodbye to the Section 8
provision of the Human Rights Ordinance.

If you have ever done last minute election turnout calls, you know
that they can be effective. It's possible to convince people to vote
who would not have done so otherwise, who may not even be following
the issues and the candidates. So, in addition to voting if you live
in Champaign, I encourage you to open your address book and try to
find one or two people you know who live in Champaign whom you could
call tonight and encourage to vote tomorrow. It could well determine
whether discrimination is legalized in Champaign, whether  there is a
police review board, whether the poorest of the poor get a little
meager help that could help prevent them from dying in the street.

thanks for "listening"!

Robert Naiman

P.S. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Polling places are given here:

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2007/02/26/champaign_voters_to_cast_primary_ballots