George Bush and Howard Dean aren’t the only
ones gearing up for the 2004 election — grassroots organizers
across the country are getting ready, too. A coalition called
America Votes plans to link grassroots groups to pump up
election-day turnout. Sixteen organizations, ranging from the
AFL-CIO and ACORN to the Sierra Club and Planned Parenthood, have
joined so far. Together they represent close to 17 million citizens
— a lot of electoral clout.,p> America Votes won’t
be endorsing candidates or political views. Instead, its members
will educate people, on the theory that folks who know about issues
like civil rights, education, labor and the environment are more
likely to register and vote.
As Cecile Richards, the
leader of the effort, explains, “By coordinating activities,
we’ll reach people in a smarter, more targeted way. This is a
coalition of the biggest grassroots groups in the country, and it
shows their desire to be more effective in the upcoming
election.” For more information, see
www.americavotes.org.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Ready, set, vote.
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