Labor Cranks Up Walks & Voter Registration Efforts

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)With turnout the key to victory in this year’s elections, unions and their allies are cranking up labor walks and voter registration efforts across the metro area. Here are a few we’ve heard of; send us info about others at streetheat@dclaborarchives.org.

VA Labor Walks/Phone Banks: “This weekend begins our non-stop effort to elect Labor-endorsed candidates across Northern Virginia,” reports NoVA Labor President Dan Duncan. Labor-to-Labor precinct walks will be held each Saturday through Election Day from the NoVA Labor office, 4536-B John Marr Drive, Annandale, VA. Doors open at 9a this Saturday, breakfast and lunch are provided. Phone banks will also be run at the NoVa Labor office Mondays-Thursdays and Saturdays. For more info, call Dolores, 703-750-3633.

MD Voter Registration: Prince George’s NAACP, a labor community ally, will be registering people to vote this Saturday, Sept. 8 from 10am-2pm at the Giant supermarket at 3500 N.W. Crain Highway, Collington Plaza, Bowie, MD 20716.

DC Voter Registration: Library of Congress AFSCME locals 2477 and 2910 are holding Voter Registration Days at the Library of Congress on Wed. & Thurs., Sept. 12 and Sept. 13 and again on Wed. & Thurs., Sept. 19 and Sept. 20 from Noon to 2pm outside the Ground Floor Madison Café. Registration forms will be provided for Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

VA Voter Reg Rules "Stricter": AFSCME 2910’s Saul Schniderman also notes that in Virginia – a major battleground state again this year -- voters should be aware that registration rules there are “much stricter than for Maryland or DC” and that “in Virginia you should mail your registration in with a copy of your driver’s license or other document (e.g. utility bill), that has your street address.” While this is not required, Saul has seen warnings that otherwise “there may be delays" when you go to vote. Click here for details on registering in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

- photo: Dolores Gerber (CWA 2222) updates NoVA Labor volunteers before they begin precinct walks on August 25; photo by Joyce Putnam, OPEIU 2