Released October 2, 1998

Pelphrey Helps People Register, Vote

Answering Questions, Working to Preserve Voter Rights

In his first general campaign, Sixth District Congressional candidateGary "Bats" Pelphrey knew he'd have to workhard to make sure people registered to vote by Monday's deadline, and followed through byvoting in November. He knew many people were discouraged about voting.

But he never knew how much they were discouraged from votinguntil two paramedics at a candidates' forum said they'd been told they couldn't vote . . .by their boss.

The supervisor said they were emergency workers, on call throughouttheir 24-hour shifts, and wouldn't give them time off to vote. The workers had also beentold that, since they weren't physically out of their voting districts, they could not getabsentee ballots.

Gary promised to look into the law for his prospective constituents. Hefound that, not only are people out of town, the disabled, and people 70 or over allowedto vote absentee, but also:

If you are in a job which keeps you out of your precinct for the whole voting period (7 am B 7pm) on Election Day, you are entitled to vote by absentee ballot.

If you are a health-care or emergency worker, and you will be on duty all the time the polls are open even if you are physically present in your precinct  you are still eligible to vote absentee.

Absentee voters can vote now, or at any time up to the day of theelection.

The law also requires your employer to let you take two hoursoff from work in order to vote, unless the polls are open at least two hours before yourscheduled start time at work or stay open at least two hours after you are scheduled toleave work.

Gary is concerned that the changed law has been misstated in some partsof the Sixth District of Georgia. Still, his goal is to have at least 70% voter turnout onTuesday, November 3.

That's higher than most experts predict but Gary notes that 81% ofGermans voted in their recent elections . . . and the winning candidate's platform wasbasically "It's Time for a Change."

One reason so many Germans turned out to vote was that the election washeld on Sunday. Gary believes we need to look seriously at weekend voting and other ideasfor reforming, not only campaign finances, but also elections themselves.

"If you're as disgusted as most Americans are with what's going onin Washington," adds Gary, "Don't show your disgust by staying away and notvoting. That's the way we got in this mess...by good people doing nothing, not voting, andleaving the election process to political machines and their bought and paid-forcandidates.

"Vote! That's the way to show the world that we intend to takeback the control of our government."

Monday, October 5, is the last day to register in order to be eligibleto vote in the general election on November 3. You can register at your county's ElectionsOffice, or at several other public places (such as public libraries), by the close ofbusiness. Call or visit your local Elections Office to see what other locations may beconvenient for you:

Cherokee County 130 E. Main St., Suite 106 / Canton, GA 30114770-479-0407

Cobb County 47 Waddell Street / Marietta, GA 30090 770-528-2581

Fulton County 141 Pryor Street, Suite 4085 / Atlanta, GA 30303404-730-7072

Gwinnett County 75 Langley Drive / Lawrenceville, GA 30245 770-822-8787

You can also register by mail. The forms must be filled out and postmarkedby October 5.