Monday, September 11, 2017

ACTION: CALL TO PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS

From Indivisible Oregon...

**CALL TO ACTION**
Monday, September 11, 2017
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PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS – DEFUND TRUMPS ELECTION COMMISSION
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#VotingRights
#DefundElectionFraudCommission
Voter suppression is the civil rights issue of our time. The Trump administration is undermining and suppressing our right to vote with its election fraud commission. (http://bit.ly/2ttyuBC
Trump’s election fraud commission:
• Has been rejected by Merkley, Wyden, Blumenauer, Bonamici
• Is chaired by Kris Kobach, who has a long history of voter suppression (http://bit.ly/2ptVHTg); Kobach was fined for misleading the court on voter ID cases (http://wapo.st/2eGft66)
• Falsely accused New Hampshire of voter fraud (http://wapo.st/2xSgrDJ)
• Is concerned with fraud only as it relates to voter registration; it is unconcerned with voting equipment or election interference—which are far more significant http://bit.ly/2tfyFNV
• Is gathering data that could target minorities, gerrymander districts, and enact stricter voter ID laws to suppress the vote
Unfortunately Oregon provided the commission with voter information. (http://stjr.nl/2gUNLXG)
Rep Adam Schiff has introduced an amendment to defund this commission (http://bit.ly/2f4dE3C). Oregon’s vote by mail is a national model for increasing voting. Let’s persuade the Oregon delegation to defund this commission, and, instead, expand access to voting.
Everyone deserves the right to vote. 
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**ACTION 1: CALL OUR SENATORS AND YOUR REPRESENTATIVE
(or leave a voice message after hours) 
SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR REPS
“My name is [--] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon, [zip code]. I am very concerned about GOP voter suppression and Trump’s voter fraud commission. Rep Adam Schiff has introduced an amendment to defund this commission. I ask Rep [name] to co-sponsor this amendment. We must defund this commission and work, instead, on expanding voting rights through initiatives like voting by mail and weekend voting. Everyone deserves the right to vote. Thank you.”
SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR SENATORS
"My name is [--] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon, [zip code]. I am very concerned about GOP voter suppression and Trump’s voter fraud commission. Rep Adam Schiff has introduced an amendment to defund this commission, and I am asking Senator [name] to introduce similar legislation in the Senate. We must defund Trump’s commission and work, instead, on expanding voting rights through initiatives like voting by mail and weekend voting. Everyone deserves the right to vote. Thank you.”
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**ACTION 2: CALL OREGON SECRETARY OF STATE TO PROTEST HANDING OVER VOTER INFORMATION
Secretary of State Dennis Richardson
(503) 986-1518 
SAMPLE SCRIPT:
“My name is [--] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon, [zip code]. I am deeply disappointed that the Secretary of State chose to give the federal government our voter information. Although he may have been following state statute, other states have refused to give their voter’s information, and Richardson should have done the same. This data may be used to suppress the vote, which is unacceptable.” 
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**ACTION 3: Check out these resources to stop voter suppression
https://www.letamericavote.org/
https://www.flippable.org/
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**PHONE NUMBERS**
SENATOR MERKLEY 
Portland: (503) 326-3386, DC: (202) 224-3753
Salem: (503) 362-8102, Eugene: (541) 465-6750
Medford: (541) 608-9102, Bend: (541) 318-1298
Pendleton: (541) 278-1129
SENATOR WYDEN 
Portland: (503) 326-7525, DC: (202) 224-5244
Salem: (503) 589-4555, Eugene: (541) 431-0229
Medford: (541) 858-5122, Bend: (541) 330-9142
La Grande: (541) 960-7691
CONGRESSWOMAN SUZANNE BONAMICI [D1] 
DC: (202) 225-0855, OR: (503) 469-6010 
CONGRESSMAN GREG WALDEN [D2] 
DC (202) 225-6730, Medford: (541) 776-4646, 
Bend (541) 389-4408, La Grande (541) 624-2400 
CONGRESSMAN EARL BLUMENAUER [D3] 
DC: (202) 225-4811, OR: (503) 231-2300 
CONGRESSMAN PETER DEFAZIO [D4] 
DC 202-225-6416, Eugene: (541) 465-6732, 
Roseburg: (541) 440-3523, Coos Bay (541) 269-2609 
CONGRESSMAN KURT SCHRADER [D5] 
DC: (202) 225-5711, Salem (503) 588-9100, 
Oregon City (503) 557-1324 
** After you call, please comment below and briefly share your experience!**