Clergy, Civil Rights Groups - Absentee Ballot Drive for Katrina Evacuees

[carzen]

Members of the Atlanta black clergy and civil rights organizations met Monday to discuss plans to distribute absentee ballots for the Nov. 7 general election to thousands of Hurricane Katrina evacuees living here.

In addition to Atlanta, similar efforts are also being launched in Houston, Dallas, Baton Rouge, La., and Jackson, Miss. - cities that still have large evacuee populations, said Alaina Beverly of the Advancement Project, a Washington, D.C.-based civil rights organization that is coordinating the campaign.

"We know that survivors are overwhelmed dealing with the everyday," Beverly said. "But there are things (on the ballot) that people care about that will dictate the rebuilding of New Orleans."

Several churches will function as centers for voters, distributing and collecting absentee ballots to mail in. The churches also plan to partner with advocacy groups and others in the city to distribute information and ballots.


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