Immigrant Voting Workshop at Raccoon

[Ivo Skoric]

Michelle Wucker of http://www.immigrantvoting.org/ will hold a 
workshop on Workshop on Voting Rights for Immigrant New Yorkers at 
Raccoon Space on Thursday, September 16 at 7 pm.
http://balkansnet.org/prostor.html

New York City is now home to 1,361,007 immigrants of voting age who 
are not yet citizens. That means one 1of 5 New Yorkers of voting age 
can't vote. These city residents are subject to all the laws that 
citizens must observe. They contribute in countless ways to the 
economic vitality and social and cultural life of this city that 
serves as the unofficial capital of the world. Nevertheless, because 
of their citizenship status, these new New Yorkers are not allowed to 
participate in choosing the municipal representatives who make the 
policies that affect their lives daily. Excluding such a significant 
portion of the city's population from political participation 
undermines the health of our democracy and discourages incipient 
Americans from taking a stake in the issues that affect their 
communities. A broad and growing group of organizations, the New York 
Coalition to Expand Voting Rights, is working with city and state 
legislators to restore voting rights in local elections.

Come to hear about what the move, to restore immigrant voting rights -
rights that were widespread in the United States for the first 150 
years of our history - in New York elections, means for you and your 
community. Today, permanent residents are paying taxes and fighting 
and dying for the United States as soldiers in Iraq, while lacking a 
voice in local government. A bill that would allow thousands of 
immigrants to vote in local elections in Washington, D.C., has gained 
the support of that City Council members.

Directions to Raccoon Space:
43-32 22nd Street, Suite (buzzer) 301 in Long Island City, between 
43th and 44th Avenue
E,V,G subway to 23rd Street, Ely Avenue
o n e subway stop away from Manhattan (N,R,7,F,E,V,G)
Tel.: 718.784.9121