PRESS RELEASE Of interest to editors and journalists covering: African American Interest, Politics, NonProfit News, General Editorial Activists Use Innovative Tactics To Encourage People To Vote And Protect Voters' Rights At The Polls Activities include 'Protect Our Vote Sunday,' a sweepstakes offering Election Day volunteers the chance to win a new car, and the release of a Provisional Ballot Primer WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 19, 2004 /Send2Press Newswire/ -- Determined to turnout the African American community in record numbers, the nonpartisan Unity '04 Voter Empowerment Campaign, a program of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP), is initiating several activities to encourage people to vote early or on Election Day, and make sure they know what their rights are at the polls. *(Logo: http://www.Send2Press.com/photoSP/unity04.jpg) In addition to traditional get out the vote activities, including canvassing, rallies, phone banking, rides to the polls, and a media campaign, other actions are: 'Take 5 And Drive' Sweepstakes A sweepstakes program in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana and Pennsylvania, called 'Take 5 and Drive,' that gives volunteers the chance to win a new 2005 Ford Mustang by simply urging 5 friends and neighbors to vote on Election Day. The 'Take 5 and Drive' sweepstakes is open to volunteers who are at least 18 years of age, are registered voters of any party, and reside in GA, PA, IN, KY, or LA. Participants may enter by calling 1-888-5Drive5 or by downloading an entry form at www.take5anddrive.org. National Protect Our Vote Sunday Convened by Dr. Dorothy Height, National Council of Negro Women, and Rev. Joseph Lowery, Black Leadership Forum, the national "Protect Our Vote Sunday," Oct 31, will use the faith community to educate the African American community on what their rights are at the polls. Ministers will speak on election protection and remind the congregation to get out and vote early, or on Nov. 2. Church fans will include state specific voters' bills of rights and the 1-866-OUR-VOTE hotline number. Release Of Provisional Ballot Primer In response to the 2000 election debacle, Congress passed the Help America Vote Act HAVA which, among other things, mandates that all states must provide a provisional ballot to a voter whose name does not appear on the voter rolls or whose eligibility to vote is in question. The NCBCP's report on provisional ballots gives detailed information on casting a provisional ballot including state requirements for your provisional ballot to count, and the time for validating and counting provisional ballots. Go to http://www.bigvote.org/provisional_ballots.htm to download the report. Voter Protection Hotline The Unity '04 1-866-OUR VOTE voter protection hotline is up and ready to assist voters with any voting problems. With 35 legal command centers in 20 states and 20 hotline call centers, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law along with NAACP Legal Defense Fund, NCBCP, NAACP, National Bar Association, Black Law Students Association, People for the American Way Foundation, and others have recruited over 5,000 lawyers, paralegals, and law students to staff the hotline. About The National NCBCP The National NCBCP is a non-partisan, non-profit, 501 ( c ) 3 organization. Their Unity '04 Campaign is a coalition of over 160 of the nation's most powerful organizations determined to increase Black voter turnout in the 2004 Election and make sure each vote is counted. Participating organizations include, the National Urban League, 100 Black Men of America, UniverSoul Circus, the Tom Joyner Morning Show and Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda. For more information go to http://www.unity04.net. Media Contact: Edrea Davis of The National NCBCP +1-818-613-9521 +1-202-659-4929 # # # [ Source of news = National Coalition On Black Civic Participation ] Ref: http://www.send2press.com/2archive/2004/pr04-101905-ncbcf.txt http://www.send2press.com/2archivePDF/pr04-101905-ncbcf.pdf ----------------------------------------------------------------- *IMPORTANT NOTE TO MEDIA: to reach the organization releasing this news, please contact: edmedia@dogonvillage.com (media only) If used for publication, please send specimen copy. ----------------------------------------------------------------- S2P-NP NPRT/ 0C / DC / WASHINGTON, D.C. / English (lang=en) Copr. (c) 2004 Send2Press Newswire. This release was issued on behalf of the above organization, who is solely responsible for accuracy of content, by Send2Press(TM), a unit of Neotrope(R). http://www.Send2Press.com [www.WashingtonDCnewswire.com] references: ----------- voter suppression, voter intimidation, voter turnout, african american vote