I just wanted to update all of you on news from Indiana. I have been a volunteer for the Obama campaign throughout the primary in Indiana and put in about 10 hours a week canvassing, phone banking, data entry, voter registration, and writing letter to newspapers. We strongly believe that we can turn this state blue and the polls have shown that this is quite possible. However, news just came to us which may suppress some people from voting in November.
Recently, the republican mayor's office in Indianapolis made 31 polling location changes and there has not been, nor will there be, an official announcement or mailing to the voters to inform them of these changes. There also has been no or very minimal media coverage about this.
As recent polls show, Indianapolis voting trends show that Senator Obama should win in the city by a pretty comfortable margin. However, these polling location changes may affect the numbers in Indianapolis. A lot of these location changes are in areas of the city with newer subdivisions in them whihc. we find have a strong democratic following within them. Other areas with the changes of those with a low socio-economic status.
Polls in Indiana are open between 6am-6pm. Due to the early closing time, people tend to want to vote in the morning since it is diffciult to do so after work. Throughout the city, multiple precincts share the same polling location. However, if one comes to vote in the morning, even though the location is open, they will be told that their precinct location has been changed and they are in the wrong place. We fear that people may not want to drive to another area to go vote and will just go to work, thus not vote!!
Local democrats are questioning the legality of these changes and whether the law permits a change of voting location between the primary and general election, and so close to the election day.
We are in the process of trying to get the word out to supporters who are affected by this decision. When we run across a supporter during canvassing, we inform them of the change, but still encourage early voting. We will also attempt to contact supporters by phone and letting them know as well. We are also referring them to a website where they can get the correct address of where to vote.
I guess the good news out of all this is that McCain has no ground game in Indianapolis and word of these changes may not get to them. Either way, it looks like the changing of polling location may cause quite a few headaches in Indianapolis in November.
UPDATE: Indianavoters.com is the website where voters can chack their polling location
UPDATE #2: Digg it