If you live in Orange County, you may have one last opportunity to vote BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION DAY: Supervisor of Elections Bill Cowles is allowing ABSENTEE BALLOT VOTING only, on tomorrow Sunday, Nov. 4, at the elections office from 10 – 4 p.m.
Although the deadline to request an absentee ballot BY MAIL has passed, you can go to the elections office tomorrow, get a ballot and complete it.
The address is: 119 W. Kaley Street, Orlando, FL 32806. Phone: 407-836-2070.
Let’s go…vote early.
© Orlando Community News, 2012
People stood in line outside the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office Sunday, waiting to cast their ballot at the Souls to The Polls event.
Orange County, FL (October 28,2012) — Some came to vote in person. Some came to vote by turning in their absentee ballot. Some brought other people to vote. Others just showed up to support the effort. A few came to document and report what was going on.
Local pastors organized and got their church members out in huge numbers, to vote early, in person at the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office.
Around 1:30 this afternoon, after many morning worship services ended, the church members converged on the grounds of New Covenant Baptist Church of Orlando on Rio Grande Avenue to take part in the “Souls To The Polls” effort, sponsored by the African-American Council of Christian Clergy.
The group rode together in limousines, cars, buses and vans about five miles east up Kaley Avenue near the elections office. They parked and then walked a few blocks to get to the elections office.
Willie C Barnes, president of the clergy organization, estimated that there had to be more than 1,000 people at the event. No word yet on how many people actually voted either by electronic voting machines or by absentee ballots.
Barnes, pastor of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church of Eatonville, said he was pleased with the turnout and said it got rid of attempts to stop the effort that is normally held on the Sunday before General Election day.
That is why this effort is so significant.
Florida has allowed early voting (at designated early voting locations) throughout the state since 2004. Early voting started 15 days before and ended on the second day before the election. Historically, that last day for early voting was the Sunday before the General Election, when pastors in the Black community would have their “Souls to the Polls” event.
Last year, Florida’s election laws changed with House Bill 1355. A part of the bill cut the number of early voting days from 14 to 8.
Basically, early voting now starts 10 days and ends 3 days before Election Day. Guess what day was left on the cutting room floor? That’s right: the Sunday before the General Election day.
The State Representative who sponsored the bill, Dennis K. Baxley, R-Ocala, said in a recent CNN special on the topic said getting rid of that Sunday would give election supervisors more time to tabulate votes.
Opponents of the new law say it was created to suppress the minority vote. Reports after the 2008 General Election say early voting by minorities in large numbers helped President Barack Obama win the White House.
Rep. Baxley suggested during the CNN special that organizers just have the event on the Sunday before.
Well, throughout the state, they did and early reports show that people turned out to vote in large numbers.
© Orlando Community News, 2012
Registered voters can vote early and avoid historically long lines at their polling places on General Election Day and any confusion as well, in light of new polling places and longer than normal election ballots.
They can vote at any Early Voting Center (such as public libraries, community centers and elections offices) via voting machines/booths, starting this SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27.
Early Voting Centers in Orange County will be open for one week through NOVEMBER 3, from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
The only exception is for the Orlando Public Library in downtown Orlando. The hours there are: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday, 1-6 p.m.
The Supervisor Of Elections Office will also be open on Sunday, November 4, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. for absentee voting only.
When voters arrive at one of the Early Voting Centers, they will be asked for a photo i.d. with a signature. If they are unable to present one, election officials will give them a provisional ballot.
Voters may want to study their Sample Ballot beforehand, as this year’s General Election Ballot is the longest in Orange County history. There are three pages, front and back, in English and Spanish, filled with a large group of candidates, 11 state amendments, four county charter amendments and one special referendum.
The votes will be saved immediately and counted on election night, November 6.
Here are the list of Early Voting Centers:
Here are some free websites to help voters in understanding the amendments and learning a little about the candidate: http://www.lwvoc.org/ and http://elections.orlandosentinel.com/2012/november/home/index/federal
Check your mail: Orange County election officials started mailing out sample ballots this week to eligible voters and they are urging voters to study the questions on the ballots, fill out the ballots and use the ballots as a guide in voting booths.
You can do that, whether voting early at the designated locations or voting on Election Day November 6 at your polling site.
The Sample Ballot mail out also includes a map and driving directions to the voters’ polling locations. Good thing too, because many polling places have changed since the 2008 General Election, in light of redrawn election districts.
This year’s ballot is the longest in Orange County’s history: there are three legal paper-sized ballot sheets (front and back) with candidate names and amendments written in both English and Spanish. One of the amendment questions takes up one page.
Can’t say enough about being prepared.
So watch your mail and contact the elections office if you don’t receive your Sample Ballot or if you have any questions or concerns. Phone: (407) 836-VOTE (8683). Website: www.orangecountyvotes.com.
Educate yourself on the candidates and amendments. One resource is the League of Women Voters of Orange County website: http://www.lwvoc.org/
© Orlando Community News, 2012
Stop the Killing – Start Living Rally at Evans High School stadium on Saturday, October 9. People stood, sat in the stadium or lawn chairs on the track and listened to speakers at the rally, which also included prayers from area pastors, live entertainment, a memorial of the lives lost during recent crimes in the area, free food and helpful information. The rally, sponsored by the group Kingdom Network Empowering Communities (K.N.E.C.), is the fifth annual event held in the Pine Hills community to bring crime awareness and prevention to the community. K.N.E.C. is a faith-based organization made up of churches, businesses and concerned citizens in the inner cities of Orlando working together to support the community. The group’s mission is to find solutions to the wave of violence in these communities and promote change. Go to the group’s website www.knecus.com for more information.
© Orlando Community News, 2012
Opinion
I missed some of the “Stop the Killing, Start Living” rally but what I did catch spoke volumes about people’s genuine love of the Pine Hills community. There were prayers, inspirational dances, free food and drinks, booths with helpful information including on restoration of rights and voter registration, along with thought-provoking, soul-stirring speeches.
Pastor Kelvin Cobaris, of Livingston Street Church of God in Christ, main speaker at the rally, talked about what we know: We know about the senseless crimes that have taken place in Pine Hills and Orange County recently. He rattled off the horrific details. One very young man was kidnapped, beaten and set on fire. Young Danielle Sampson is still fighting for her life after being shot in her family vehicle, riding home from church. There are many other stories: Organizers displayed a handmade storyboard with a map of those killed in the Pine Hills area recently and placed their names and/or pictures on it.
There is still hope and Jesus Christ is that hope, Cobaris said. We still have to do the work.
“The stories ought to make everyone mad,” Cobaris said. “Mad enough to do something about it.
“It’s up to us to make a difference…everyone on this ground can make a difference,” said Cobaris, who along with other pastors in the Pine Hills area have had to preach the funerals of some of the victims in the latest rash of crimes in the area. “It’s up to us to take our community back.”
Three things he suggested:
Tell. You hear people say: ‘You need to mind your own business’ but it is our business, if something is going wrong in our neighborhoods, Cobaris said. Call the police. Tell them what you saw or heard when they are investigating a crime.
Volunteer. The light, he said, has to go into darkness to make a difference and offer the community hope. “If they have dropped out of school, we connect them with the program to drop back into school.”
He acknowledged that we may not be able to reach all the people struggling in the community, but we can reach some. Contribute your skills and talents to the community, things that you like to do.
Train. Train children the right way while they are young, Cobaris said. Even mentors can do that.
I heard good stuff at the rally. I hope and pray we all get up and do the good stuff…right here at home, in our neighborhoods.
Resources:
K.N.E.C. is Kingdom Network Empowering Communities — faith-based group, made up of churches and concerned residents with goal to find ways to stem crime in Orlando’s inner cities. Contact: Bishop A.L. Helligar, 407-721-4817 or Pastor Michael Kimbrough, 407-234-9619. The group’s website: http://www.knecus.com
Evans High Community School. At the high school, 4949 Silver Star Road, Orlando, FL 32808. Support Services for students, parents and community. Contact: Sherri White, sherri.white@ocps.net
© Orlando Community News, 2012
Now more than ever, there is a need for change in our communities concerning the latest rash of serious crimes.
A group of concerned community leaders, business owners and residents will push that change this Saturday, October 6, during a “Stop the Killing, Start Living” rally.
The group Kingdom Network Empowering Communities is sponsoring the free rally, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Evans High School stadium. Evans High School is located at 4949 Silver Star Road, Orlando, FL 32808. This is the 5th annual rally in the Pine Hills area in light of National Crime Prevention Month. It also comes less than a week of a robbery-shooting at a China Wok restaurant in the area in which a woman was shot and killed and other senseless crimes over the past several months.
“We no longer want the stigma of crime controlling our streets. It is time to make a change and bring everyone together…” the group’s website states.
You can take part in different ways as a business owner, church or individual. Mainly, show up, listen and respond to the speeches on crime prevention and get to know neighbors. Take in the live entertainment, as well as free food and drinks while they lasts.
For more information, visit the K.N.E.C. website: www.knecus.com or call Bishop A.L. Helligar at 407-721-4817.
© Orlando Community News, 2012
Events are planned national-wide for National Voter Registration Day on Tuesday, September 25, 2012.
Here in Orange County, U.S. Congresswoman Corrine Brown is asking folk to support the day and register or update their registration Tuesday at the Supervisor of Election’s Office on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Address: 119 West Kaley St., Orlando, FL 32806
Phone: 407-836-2070
Those who show up for this event can:
REGISTER to vote/ Update their signature / Update their record ( change of address)
LEARN about Orange County voting rights laws
Similar events are planned in Orange County: Rollins College (Cornell Campus Center) and Full Sail University, both in Winter Park. Check out this website for detail and links to RSVP for these college events: http://nationalvoterregistrationday.org/
© Orlando Community News, 2012
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