DC Vote On The Road!

Working with Native Vote and Affiliated Tribes to Spread the Message

2008-05-14T11:45:00.001-07:00

I met with the Native Vote Committee in Grand Mound, WA to talk about DC voting rights and the importance of voting. The committee passed a resolution in support of DC Vote and the DC Voting Rights Act. Thanks to Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and to the Native Vote co-chairs, Theresa Sheldon (Tulalip Tribe) and Mathew Tomaskin (Yakama Nation)!

Loaded Orygun Blogger Stands Up for DC Voting Rights!

2008-05-08T08:27:00.000-07:00

Read this insightful post about DC voting rights and the Oregon delegation's support, or lack thereof. Our thanks to TJ, pictured center, for his continued support and thorough investigation of the issue!

Missoula Residents Lead the Fight with Protest at Local Event Featuring Sen. Max Baucus

2008-05-07T08:00:00.001-07:00

Missoula residents and DC Vote supporters gathered on Saturday, May 3, at the University of Montana where Sen. Max Baucus was a featured speaker. Carrying signs supporting DC voting rights, they even had the opportunity to speak with the Senator directly and voice their concerns about DC's disenfranchisement. Thank you, Missoula!

Show us your DC Vote pride!

2008-04-18T12:29:00.000-07:00

DC resident and Federal City Council Director, Jacque D. Patterson, wore DC Vote's "Let Washington Speak" t-shirt while running in the Georgia Marathon. Way to go, Jacque!

Have a photo with your DC Vote t-shirt or bumper sticker that you'd like to share? We'd love to post it. Send it to jquinto@dcvote.org.

Thank you, Oregon!

2008-03-25T14:00:00.001-07:00

It was a whirlwind week for DC Vote's Team Oregon. No one can say that our national public awareness campaign is not ambitious! Not only did we meet with students at five colleges and universities, we networked with everyone from the Portland Business Alliance, AFL-CIO, UFCW and the Urban League of Portland to the NAACP, League of Women Voters and Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians. And, that's just to name a few!

Everyone had invaluable insights on spreading the message of DC voting rights, far and wide. Thanks, Oregon! This is just the begining of a beautiful partnership.

Oregon: people, places and meetings galore (oh, and a few great meals!)

2008-03-24T07:51:00.001-07:00

Catching up with another coaltion partner in Oregon!

2008-03-20T14:19:00.000-07:00

Never one to miss an opportunity to connect, Eugene moves ahead on behalf of Team Oregon. Even after Nell and Jaline have left the state, he takes a meeting with Erik Sorenson of Oregon People for the American Way (PFAW) at our "regular" Team Oregon hang-out, the local Starbucks.

Never stop outreaching: Eugene flies solo for a tabling event at the Urban League's Mayoral Forum

2008-03-20T14:10:00.000-07:00

Marcus Mundy (left), President of the Urban League of Portland, poses with Eugene. He and his colleagues were an enormous help to DC Vote during our trip and true champions for the cause!

Team Oregon: still celebrating a victorious week!

2008-03-14T00:36:00.000-07:00

Team Oregon gets their celebration on! For real, real.

2008-03-13T23:52:00.001-07:00

We had an amazing time in Oregon and took the chance to celebrate. We even met up with the Eli Zigas of the west coast (AKA Dave from Lewis and Clark) to cap off a very busy, very productive week. Oh, and of course, we made some friends and got some petition signatures while we were at it. Even in our off-hours, DC Vote don't stop and we don't quit...

Feelin' a little bit of the blogger blahs (the blahgs), we quickly perk up for a great event with the Bus Project

2008-03-13T23:46:00.001-07:00

After a long couple of days, we were feeling the pain of lack of sleep. But, we kicked off the Bus Project's "crawling for voters" event with a DC Vote-sponsored happy hour and ended up having a great time. We bought the kids a round of FREE PIZZA, gave our stump speech and had a few drinks with the voter-minded folks there. Special thanks to Melissa and Garrett for helping us out!

Our Oregon coalition is growing: Labor unions and League of Women Voters agree to help us out

2008-03-13T23:43:00.000-07:00

We had two fantastic meetings - with LWV Oregon plus LWV Portland, followed by a meeting with labor. Both groups were staunch advocates of DC voting rights and are already planning ways to support DC Vote! We heart them.

Ms. Nell rocks the house at Lewis and Clark Law School

2008-03-13T23:36:00.000-07:00

Ms. Schaffer dropped mad knowledge at an event co-sponsored by the Law Democrats and American Constitution Society at L and C. Our gracious hosts (big thanks to Stephen, Dave and Jonathan!) hooked us up with...what else? FREE PIZZA! We hooked them up with the past, present and future of DC voting rights. Team Oregon just keeps on rockin' and rollin'.

What's Oregon Got to Do With It? The Fight for DC Voting Rights

2008-03-13T11:37:00.000-07:00

The following article (on blueoregon.com at http://www.blueoregon.com/2008/03/whats-oregon-go.html) appears as a Guest Column by Jaline Quinto. Chec k out the great work that our Oregon Team is doing!

By Jaline Quinto, of Washington, DC. Jaline works in communications for DC Vote, an organization dedicated to securing full congressional representation for the nearly 600,000 residents of Washington, DC.

It’s been a centuries-long struggle to end taxation without representation, and it’s a fight that DC residents are just a few votes shy of winning. DC Vote, an organization dedicated to securing full congressional representation for Washington, DC, has launched an aggressive campaign to educate constituents in states where Senate members are filibustering the DC Voting Rights Act (S. 1257).

The bill is merely an incremental step towards full representation for residents of our nation’s capital – allowing for one voting member in the House of Representatives. Yet on September 18, a minority of Senators, including Gordon Smith (R-OR) chose to block an up or down vote on the bill – the first filibuster of voting rights legislation since the days of segregation.

Senator Smith voted the Republican Party line, telling the Oregonian in a written statement that, "the District of Columbia should find its congressional franchise through the state of Maryland, by statute, or through the Constitutional amendment process," The former idea is clearly unconstitutional and the latter is simply unnecessary. Even conservative constitutional scholars agree that Congress has the authority to grant voting rights to DC citizens without a Constitutional amendment.

So then…why are nearly 600,000 residents denied the same representation their fellow Americans in the states enjoy? We at DC Vote think the answer is fairly simple: because people in the states who have a vote and a voice don’t know about the issue of DC’s lack of democracy. That means Congress gets to keep its dirty little secret about denying a vote to more than half a million, mostly African American, residents of our nation’s capital.

There is an upside to Americans’ lack of knowledge on the subject, though. DC Vote’s polling shows that once state residents learn about this injustice, they overwhelmingly support voting rights for the people living in the District. Our recent trip to Montana to engage and mobilize voters shows that Americans believe in democracy for all citizens and feel passionately that DC residents deserve a seat at the table.

In many ways, the voices of constituents in the states (where Congress members’ votes actually count) can help DC achieve full voting representation. Indeed, it may be the only way. DC Vote will be in Oregon from March 10-13, and we hope to meet with as many constituents as possible. Join us on Thursday, March 13, in Portland for a Bus Project & DC Vote co-sponsored Happy Hour event to learn how Oregonians can help change the lives of more than half a million Americans who demand a vote. Information and event details are available at www.dcvote.org.

Guys in unitards support DC voting rights?

2008-03-13T10:24:00.001-07:00

Okay, so we didn't have a chance to officially ask the guy in a unitard whether he supports a vote for the more than half a million Americans living in DC...but come on. If you wear a unitard in public, chances are pretty good. If you support the "freedom to wear one-piece spandex suits" then you almost certainly support the freedom to vote!

Ducks support DC voting rights!

2008-03-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

Even though it was "dead week" before mid-term exams, we had a good showing at yet another FREE PIZZA extravaganza at the University of Oregon. After a quick meeting with the U of O's Daily Emerald newspaper, we chatted over a few slices and soda with a some engaged student-activists.

Gettin' down to business at the Register-Guard in Eugene

2008-03-13T10:14:00.000-07:00

Day 3: DC Vote heads bleary-eyed towards Eugene, OR

2008-03-12T22:56:00.000-07:00

We all woke up with two words on our mind “road trip!” Ok, perhaps some in our team were thinking “more sleep!” Today we traveled from Portland to Eugene. Our official expert on all things Eugene - Eugene tells us that Eugene means “well-born”. Zooming down I-5 to Eugene, Jaline, Eugene and Nell harmonized to the greatest hits of Prince, En Vogue and others, while Jaline found herself enamored of the newborn lambs frolicking in the pastures next to the freeway.

We have entered into day three, deemed the official “Dump Day” by Eugene Dewitt Kinlow. Say what? That means, according to this particular “Eugene-ism” that we are looking forward to unloading a whole suitcase of DC voting rights stickers, postcards and candy at the University of Oregon.

We were excited to release a volume of information, facts, and figures on the resident leaders and students of Eugene. First stop…The Register Guard newspaper. Next stop...U of O. But first, we take the editor's advice from the Register-Guard and head to Papa's Soul Food for a down-home lunch.

"Editor's" note: thanks to Eugene and Nell for guest-blogging and providing a fresh perspective on the public awareness campaign trail!

Day 2, Evening: DC Vote Calls It A Day With a Celebratory Dinner

2008-03-12T22:54:00.000-07:00

After a day of meetings, events and laughs, we decided to kick back with our favorite drinkin’ buddy, George Washington. Kinlow has wasted no time in making more friends in Oregon, including our server at dinner who enthusiastically agreed to contact her friend who is a state senator about the issue.

Reed College: Even Anarchists Support Voting Representation (No, seriously. They do.)

2008-03-12T22:51:00.000-07:00

From the urban campus of PSU, we set off to the grassy suburban campus of Reed College to enjoy DC voting rights and….you guessed it: more pizza! After Eugene stealthily tracked down the wandering pizza delivery man, Nell set to work discussing the issue with campus activists. We were glad to have one DC resident in attendance. Thanks to Students for a Democratic Society for hosting!

Portland State University Hearts Pizza (oh, and democracy)

2008-03-12T22:47:00.000-07:00

Who doesn’t love pizza and DC voting rights? The students at Portland State University certainly do! Eugene and Nell made an excellent Batman and Robin duo, speaking to more than a dozen students, community members, and employees of PSU about DC’s denial of democracy. We were excited to discover that PSU, the largest university in Oregon, is home to at least one student from DC, who showed up to rep the city. Special thanks to the PSU NAACP for hosting and to Rudy Soto, president of the Associated Students of PSU for attending to show support for the cause!

It's a media storm! Or, as close as we'll get on this trip anyway.

2008-03-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

Had a great chat over lunch at a local hot spot with TJ (first name only, like Madonna...or Cher, or Gonzo). He is the founder of the Loaded Orygun and will undoubtedly be a great resource for insights on Oregon politics.

Plus...editorial board meetings are typically a daunting affair, but Bob Caldwell and Sandy Rowe couldn't have been nicer people. Check out the Oregonian for potential coverage of our issue. Here we are with Sandy in her office.

First Stop on Day Two: Affiliated Tribes

2008-03-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

We met with Lyn Dennis, Executive Director of Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians who gave us some invaluable leads on spreading the message of DC voting rights to Indian country. She quickly became my favorite person when she poured us a cup of to-go coffee before we left. Sorry! Noticing a theme? I need my caffeine fix or ELSE!

And During the Oregon Blogging Break, a Message about Montana...

2008-03-11T12:42:00.000-07:00

With the Oregon Team's blogging activity slowed down because they have so many great meetings set up today to talk with Oregonians (and me aching to be out there in Oregon with my colleagues), here's a little update on activities that are still going on from our amazing trip to the great state of Montana. Yesterday we put out a call to action to our new friends to call Senator Baucus' office and let him know that Montanans support DC voting rights. So many people called in that the phone line was busy even today!

An article by Noelle Straub ran in today's Billings Gazette, Missoulian and Helena IR:

http://www.dcvote.org/media/media.cfm?mediaID=2260

From Montana Netroots blog:

http://montananetroots.com/cece/791/baucus-filibustering-dc-voting-rights/

From our good friends at Left in the West blog:

http://www.leftinthewest.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=B7CBB3B058514FED3003ABDDDE7E5B81?diaryId=1557

And take a look at #6 on another great Montana blog:

http://wulfgar.typepad.com/a_chicken_is_not_pillage/2008/03/why-i-wont-be-v.html

I can't wait to see what kind of grassroots activity we get from the people of the Beaver State!

DC Vote Kicks It New School: Spreadin' the Awareness Through A Blog Ad

2008-03-10T22:36:00.000-07:00

We're taking the message to the Internets with our blog ad on Blue Oregon. Check it out and be on the lookout for our guest column on their site...coming soon!