The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

Local News

February 29, 2008

Voter registration cards pour in

Filing for upcoming primary and general elections ends today

Sherry Brunson

Noon today is the deadline for residents to file as candidates for elected office. Most candidates, including all the incumbents, filed early, so the Edgecombe County Board of Elections office didn't see anyone file all week, but they still have been busy.

Hundreds of voter's registration cards have been sent to their office, offering challenges to officials to make sure everyone is entered into the computer database.

"We received more than 100 cards Wednesday, and other days, as well," said Ethel Bryant, who has worked in the office for more than 14 years. "Rocky Mount said they received more than 300. We thought most people in our area were registered and have been surprised to receive so many new registration cards."

The voter's registration cards have been sent out by the Voter Participation Center, an arm of Women's Voices, Women's Vote, a non-profit organization, based in Washington, D.C., whose goal is to help single women, those polled least-likely to vote, to register.

"We found there were 570,000 unmarried women in North Carolina, who are not registered to vote," said Sarah Johnson, communications director. "These are women of all ages, widowed, divorced and those who have never been married. These women, who make up approximately 26 percent of the voter base, are usually extremely busy and under-represented. Our goal is to help them by sending them an application to register to vote, which would make it easier then, to vote on election day.

"We are non-partisan, so we don't care who they vote for, just so they vote."

Bryant agreed the method seems to be working.

"They send out the voter's applications in a pre-packaged envelope with postage paid," she said. "Many are female and from rural areas, where it is harder to run out and get a stamp to post a letter. Since it doesn't need a stamp, they are able to drop it right in the mail."

Johnson said although most of the mailings are to single women, some are to men. She said the Voter Participation Center uses a commercial vendor, which collects public data, from the U.S. Postal Service new residence list, the U.S. Census, Yellow Pages, White Pages and magazine subscriptions, to determine who receives the application. The applications were sent out the first week of February.

"It is exciting that there has been such a response," Johnson added. "Before we began the mailing, we contacted (North Carolina) Secretary of State (Elaine) Marshall with the information as to who we are and why we are sending the applications out, so she would be aware of what is going on."

Although thrilled with more voter participation, Bryant acknowledged the extra rush of registration cards has kept the office busy.

"We have to scan in each application separately," she said. "That way we have the signature of everyone who registers to vote. Then in the future, we can pull up their signatures on the computer, if we need to."

Johnson said Women's Voices, Women's Vote has researched the single women vote issue extensively. A comprehensive report with their findings is on their Web site at www.wvwv.org.

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