Martinsville Bulletin, Inc.
P. O. Box 3711
204 Broad Street
Martinsville, Virginia 24115
276-638-8801
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Byron Carter, 16, (left) and Brandon Burgess, also 16, hang a flier on the doorknob of a Fayette Street home on Monday in Martinsville. |
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
By ELIZA WINSTON - Bulletin Staff Writer
Several local students went door to door Monday to encourage residents of the Fayette Street area in Martinsville to vote in today’s election.
The students were volunteering with the Virginia Organizing Project (VOP), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works to fight injustice by empowering people in communities to address issues affecting their quality of life, according to information provided by the organization.
The students’ goal was to increase voter participation in the election by hanging reminders about voting on doorknobs in the Fayette Street area, said Chad Martin, Southside organizer for VOP.
Although VOP does not support any particular candidates, it does favor health care reform legislation with a “strong public option,” according to a news release.
Martin led the group Monday. The Fayette Street area was chosen because there was a low voter turn out from residents on that street last year, he said.
Martin said VOP supplied 400 doorknob fliers to put on homes in the area, and he planned to distribute all of them Monday.
One side of the flyer reminds residents that the polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. today, reminds them to carry an ID and urges them to vote. The reverse side includes information about the VOP’s support of health care reform. It lists the telephone number of Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., and encourages people to call him to urge his support of reform legislation, which is now before Congress.
Four local students volunteered to distribute the fliers, including Brandon Burgess, 16, of Martinsville, a Carlisle student. Burgess said it was his first time working with VOP.
Bre’osha King, 14, and Tajuana Carter, 12, both of Martinsville Middle School, also participated, as did Byron Carter, 16, also of Martinsville and a student at Martinsville High School.
Last year, Byron Carter said, he participated with the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) to help people register to vote. He walked door to door and asked residents if they were registered. If they were not, he gave them voter registration forms, he said.
Students in NSBE also will be helping out at the polls today, Carter added.
Before departing to begin hanging the fliers on doorknobs, Martin gave the students a reminder.
“If anyone asks which party you are with,” Martin said, “remember to say neither. Our goal is to encourage people to go out and vote, but VOP does not back any one political candidate.”
The VOP got in touch with government teachers in local schools and asked them to let students know about the chance to volunteer with VOP, said Julie Blust, a VOP spokesman.
Last summer, VOP facilitated civic engagement internships across the state, including the Martinsville area, Martin said. Participating interns went door to door in Martinsville and asked residents what they would like to change in the area.
The interns also encouraged residents to vote. In the Martinsville area, Martin said, most residents said they wanted to see more jobs and better health care options.
According to the news release from VOP, it supports the Affordable Health Care for America Act (HR 3962), which the House might vote on by the end of this week.
For more information on the Virginia Organizing Project, call 806-5440. |
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