Anderson@Large

#Vote4Yourself and #Vote4Me

Election Day is less than a week away. The final push is on to get out the vote.

And there is work to do. Gallup projects that voter turnout will be lower than 2004 and 2008:

U.S. voters have not been quite as engaged in the 2012 election as in the two that preceded it, even before Sandy. However, their stated voting intentions and reported thought given to the election suggest turnout would likely not revert to the lower levels of 1996 and 2000. If turnout does come in lower this year -- that is, it looks more like 1996 and 2000 and less like 1992, 2004, and 2008 -- that may be another effect of Sandy in addition to flooding and widespread power outages.

As a co-convener of the Philadelphia Coalition on Black Civic Participation, I am partnering with VILLA, Black Youth Vote and Rising Sons to mobilize young voters.

Philip Fitzgerald, VILLA’s Community Engagement Manager, has issued a call to action:

Through “I COUNT,” VILLA gave people the opportunity to register to vote, but that was only half the battle. Election Day is November 6. We need to help get out the vote and inspire young people to get involved in the civic process.

We are recruiting volunteers to canvass door-to-door and at major transportation hubs. There are four shifts available:

• 8:00am – 10:00am
• 9:00am – 11:00am
• 1:00pm – 3:00pm
• 6:00pm – 7:30pm

Philadelphia public schools will be closed, but November 6 should not be a day off. From 12:00pm to 4pm, we will have a program for young people at VILLA at Germantown and Chelten avenues. We are encouraging students to use Election Day as a day of service to canvass their neighborhood and tell their neighbors: “Vote for yourself and VOTE FOR ME!”

To join the movement, follow VILLA on Twitter or send a tweet using the hashtag #215GOTV.

Be Careful Where You Vote

Election Day is seven days away.

In the wake of Frankenstorm, your polling place may have changed. To verify the location of your polling place, go to Can I Vote?

If you show up at the wrong place, you still can vote, but you must cast a provisional ballot. The question then becomes: Will your vote be counted?

I talked about the perils of provisional ballots during a panel discussion organized by New York Women in Film and Television at the Film Society of Lincoln Center.

The bottom line: Be careful where – and how – you vote.

Election Day is 14 Days Away

Earlier today, I dropped off my application for an absentee ballot at City Hall. The voting machine outside Commissioner Stephanie Singer's office was a silent reminder that Election Day is just days away.

With the campaigns entering the final stretch, it's all over but the voting.

Are you ready?

Fight Night

Barack Obama and Mitt Romney square off tonight in round two of the presidential debate.

Obama is expected to come out swinging. Senior campaign adviser David Axelrod said on “Fox News Sunday”:

I think he's going to be aggressive in making the case for his view of where we should go as a country.

Duh. The rope-a-dope is only a good strategy if you win. If you lose, you look like a dope who may have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

I will watch the face-off, er, debate on a 32-foot screen at Xfinity Live! at the Sports Complex in South Philadelphia.

Before the Main Event, I will head over to Temple University for a screening of the boxing documentary, “Joe Frazier: When the Smoke Clears.”

When the smoke clears after tonight's debate, only one man may be left standing.

Election Day is 21 days away.

Make Your Voice Heard on Election Day

Your vote is your voice.

Today is the last day to register to vote in Pennsylvania. According to a new POLITICO/George Washington University Battleground Tracking Poll, the Keystone State may be up for grabs.

The NAACP and Philadelphia National Action Network are holding an all-day rally and voter registration blitz from 7:00am to 11:30pm.

Can’t make it to the rally? No problem. The Philadelphia Board of Elections, located at 520 N. Delaware Avenue, will be open until midnight.

Election Day is four weeks away.

Election Day is 34 Days Away

Your vote is your voice. You must register to vote before the deadline.

Already registered? Check your status before you go to vote.