I just now received an urgent email from the Michigan Draft Gore Campaign...
12,396 signatures of registered MI voters are needed by October 23rd, in order to get Al's name on the Michigan primary. (since Michigan just moved up the date of the primary to Jan. 15th...)
I think this must be one of the earliest of the filing deadlines...
This is a great opportunity for Gore supporters to get some more early momentum going (in the latest MI poll of likely Democratic primary voters, Gore received the most votes, 36%, compared with Hillary's 32%).
If you, or anyone you know, will be in Michigan between now and Oct. 23rd, and would like to see Gore's name on the ballot, this is an opportunity to help out...
The email I received was the following:
URGENT Help needed to put Al Gore on the January Primary ballot
To: Michigan Supporters of Al Gore
From: Bob Alexander and Doug Kelley
Michigan Draft Gore Co-Chairs
URGENT: As a result of the latest developments, including the newly-enacted Michigan Presidential Primary law, nominating petitions with the signatures of 12,396 registered Michigan voters must be submitted by OCTOBER 23 in order to put the name AL GORE on the January 15 Michigan primary ballot!
We are writing to ask your help in collecting petition signatures.
The two-sided legal-length petition form is attached to this e-mail. However, if you do not have the paper & capacity to print it, please reply to this e-mail with your full name and postal address, and we'll immediately mail you three petition forms and instructions.
If you print your own forms, let us know so we'll keep in touch.
Each petition is only for ONE county. Before a voter signs, print the name of the county on the blank line below NOMINATING at the top of the petition. Signatures of registered voters on one petition page must all be from the same county. After the petition is filled, or you are finished, the circulator signs & dates the petition in the lower right.
If people say they signed a Gore petition weeks or months ago, explain that THAT petition was urging him to run; this NEW petition is to put him on the ballot. And if they ask if he is running, you can respond that we anticipate that he WILL be by late October; submitting these petitions keeps the door open for his entry.
As you may know, Al Gore WON the August 14 Detroit News/WXYZ statewide poll of Democrats likely to vote. The results: Gore, 36%; Clinton, 32%; Obama, 16%; Edwards, 8%. Gore can WIN the Michigan primary if you will help us get him on the January 15 ballot!
Please send us an e-mail reply with your full name and postal address!
This huge effort will cost thousands of dollars in printing, postage, etc., so contributions will be greatly appreciated. Checks can be made out to & sent to: VOLUNTEERS TO DRAFT AL GORE FOR 2008, c/o D. Kelley, 910 Sunset Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103. (The organization is properly registered with the Federal Election Commission.)
With best wishes, and thanks for your efforts,
Bob Alexander and Doug Kelley
East Lansing Ann Arbor
If you would like to help out with getting signatures, the Michigan Draft Gore campaign has the petition in electronic format, which can be emailed, etc.
For us patient Gore supporters, this is REALLY starting to get exciting !!!!
- Note that I will not have internet access during the day on Weds. until approx. 6PM EST...
UPDATE 1 (Weds Evening): I received the following information from the Michigan Draft Gore Campaign Today (that they asked me to pass along):
The leaders of the Michigan Draft Gore are advising our circulators of Jan 15 Primary nomination petitions to suspend their efforts for a few days. There is a leadership strategy meeting on Sunday afternoon. Their decisions will be communicated to Michigan Gore supporters on Monday. Thank you for your support.
UPDATE 2 (Weds. Night):
I just received more information from one of the Co-Chairs of the Michigan Draft Gore Campaign.
He just informed me that their biggest concern right now is funding.
Right now, the Michigan Draft Gore Campaign is struggling to get the $16,000 that they believe will be needed in the budget, in order to collect the ~13,000 signatures. They asked me to let everyone know that:
Money may be donated by sending a check to the (Federal Election Commission Registered PAC) following address:
Make check payable to:
"Volunteers to Draft Al Gore for 2008"
and mail it to:
Volunteers to Draft Al Gore for 2008
c/o Doug Kelly
910 Sunset
Ann Arbor, MI
48103
They also told me that it would be very helpful if the donors could phone the Co-Chair, Doug Kelley, 734-662-1731 from 9am to 8pm Eastern time, to let him know about the donation and its size.
The contact email for this is Alexjuliea@aol.com
UPDATE (Oct. 5): Money may now also be contributed using PAYPAL !!
Go to paypal
and send your contribution to
Vols to Draft Gore2008@ gmail.com (no spaces)
THANK YOU !!!