Real Estate Central

Speaking Out From Across the Nation: Former Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley
Braun, Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and Oregon Gov. Barbara
Roberts Call For Action; NoVoterLeftBehind.net Seeks Volunteers, Support to
Keep GOP From Stealing the 2008 Election

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Three leading former
elected officials from Maryland, Illinois and Oregon today called on every
state attorney general and every state election head to come out publicly
against any “lose your home, lose your vote” strategy that might be used to
keep home foreclosure victims from exercising their right to vote.
Organized by NoVoterLeftBehind.net (NVLB), the outreach effort is being
undertaken by: Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, former lieutenant governor of the
state of Maryland; Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, former U.S. Senator from
the state of Illinois and a 2004 presidential candidate; and Barbara
Roberts, former governor of Oregon and also a onetime Oregon Secretary of
State.

NoVoterLeftBehind.net (http://www.NoVoterLeftBehind.net) is monitoring voter
registration and the actual vote on Election Day in 2008. The campaign will
shine a public spotlight on every last irregularity. The
NoVoterLeftBehind.net Web site shows interested Democrats how to donate to
support the effort, where to learn more about how Republicans steal
elections and also ways to volunteer before and on Election Day 2008.

The text of the Kennedy Townsend-Moseley Braun-Roberts letter to state
attorneys general and state election officials reads as follows:

“We are writing on behalf of NOVOTERLEFTBEHIND.ORG to ask the top
election officials and Attorneys General in all 50 states plus the District
of Columbia to rule in writing or by means of other public statement within
the next two weeks that any attempts to block the voting rights of
Americans in foreclosure is not permissible under state law.



“We are so concerned by reports of a possible lose-your-home,
lose-your-vote campaign, we urge you to take action now and to notify us
via email at foreclosurevoters@novotersleftbehind.org when you have done so
that we may inform voters in a timely manner before the election. We will
post your responses on our website and share them with the media.



“Here are the facts about the victims of any strategy to target the
voting right of foreclosure victims. According to the Center for
Responsible Lending:





— One out of five subprime loans issued during 2005-2006 will fail -
leaving a total of 2.2 million home borrowers facing foreclosure. (See
http://www.responsiblelending.org/issues/mortgage/research/page.jsp?item
ID=31214551.)


— Attacks on voting rights based on mortgage foreclosure status are a real
concern since subprime loans were made far more frequently to African
Americans, Latinos and lower income Americans. (See
http://www.responsiblelending.org/issues/mortgage/quick-references/a-sna
pshot-of-the-subprime.html.)


— The impact of foreclosure-based vote suppression could have a huge
impact on swing states and thus deny Americans the right to elect their
choice at President of the United States. For example, there are 23,000
home foreclosures in major metro areas in Ohio and 28,000 in Michigan
cities. (See
http://www.responsiblelending.org/issues/mortgage/research/subprime-spil
lover.html.)


“Please join us in sending the message loud and clear to Americans:
‘You don’t lose your right to vote when you lose your home!’”

4 TIPS: VOTING RIGHTS FOR HOME FORECLOSURE VICTIMS

In a September 17, 2008 news release, NoVoterLeftBehind.net emphasized
the four things every American going through home mortgage foreclosure
needs to know about their vote:



— Voting is an inalienable right that you can’t lose due an inability
to meet mortgage payments. If any Republican tries to tell you
different, don’t listen to him or her!


— If you are in the foreclosure process - but still living in your home -
you still vote where you live. The foreclosure process itself does not
bear on your right to vote or where you exercise that right.


— If you are forced to move due to foreclosure before the voting
registration deadline, you should re-register at your new home location.
Go to http://novoterleftbehind.net/knowrules.cfm to find your states
rules on voter registration.


— If you move due to foreclosure after the voting registration deadline –
but before the election — go to vote where you were last registered to
vote. Keep in mind the following: You have the right to vote by
signing an affirmation (or similar form) if your right to vote is
challenged for any reason; and if your name isn’t on the registered
voter list, you have the right to vote by provisional ballot.
ABOUT NOVOTERLEFTBEHIND.NET

Launched on August 29, 2008, NoVoterLeftBehind.net is a project of
Democrats for America’s Future (http://www.americasdemocrats.org). In his appeal
to Democrats launching NoVoterLeftBehind.net, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
writes: “No more 2000s and 2004s! … The Republican Party mounted a
coordinated, criminal campaign to steal the 2004 Presidential election –
and it worked. Now, as another election approaches, you and I need to stand
together to make absolutely certain it doesn’t happen again … We need
your support to raise the funds now to make sure that ‘no voter is left
behind’ on Election Day!”

ABOUT DEMOCRATS FOR AMERICA’S FUTURE

Democrats for America’s Future (http://www.americasdemocrats.org) is
dedicated to getting everyday Democrats involved in returning the
Democratic party to its roots - and success at the ballot box. Democrats
for America’s Future makes a difference by: recruiting grassroots Democrats
across the country and providing them with up-to-date information; urging
Democratic leaders to stand up to President Bush and his right-wing allies;
and educating the public about the Bush Administration’s true record.
Membership sign-ups and member donations are accepted through the Democrats
for America’s Future Web site at http://www.americasdemocrats.org.

The DAF board of advisors consists of: James Carville; former Clinton
Labor Secretary Robert Reich; Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, former U.S.
Senator from the state of Illinois and a 2004 presidential candidate;
Donald L. Fowler, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee;
David Bonior, former Michigan member of Congress and majority whip of the
U.S. House of Representatives; and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, former
lieutenant governor of the state of Maryland.

See Also:

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• Governor Should Add Housing Crisis to Budget Agenda in Special Session, Coalition Urges
• Prudential California Realty of Ontario Goes Green by Planting 250 Trees - Receives Sycamore Award From National Disclosure Authority
• Standard Pacific Corp. Schedules 2008 Third Quarter Results Conference Call and Webcast
• Diversified Mortgage Workout Seeks to Acquire a Small to Mid-Sized Regional Bank

[Via Real Estate Newswire]