public service announcement. welcome, sfgate readers and eminem fans.

welcome to all of the visitors from the link at sfgate and search engine searches for eminem "mosh" lyrics.

i would like to take this opportunity to remind you all to vote tomorrow today AT ALL COSTS. also, remind your friends in ohio, florida, and the swing states to get off their butts and go to the polls. even if you think you live in a "safe" state, understand that there really aren't any "safe" states. what matters is who shows up, not who is registered and not what the zogby or newsweek or whatever polls seem to predict. GO TO THE POLLS.

here are some instructions on what to do if you don't know where you're supposed to go to vote. the process can be a little confusing, so if you are a new voter or if you're just lazy and don't know what you're supposed to do, please read the following.

if you don't know where your polling place is, go here: mypollingplace.com or mypollingsite.com. it might also be wise to call your local election hotline, because these polling sites my change at any moment. don't be stupid or lazy about it. if you don't know the number to call just do a google search. for example, i typed in "new york board of elections" into google, and the new york state board of elections as well as the new york city board of elections site came up. (yeah, it might sound elementary, but i had to tell a few law school classmates how to do this -- sad huh?) again, don't be a dumbass or a lazy butt. KNOW WHERE YOU NEED TO GO. and figure it out before tomorrow. the sites i found were barely functional, because everyone is trying to get on them right now. also, be aware of when polls open and close.

also, just to be safe... don't forget your ID. for the avoidance of all doubt, just bring it. if you do forget your ID, go home and get it and go back to the polls. don't ask for a provisional ballot in this case; it's better to be safe than sorry - it's better to do it right. with all of the sketchy things already going on in this election (missing absentee ballots, lost registrations), if you can avoid using a provisional ballot and do it the old fashioned way, do it. go home and get your ID and come back. more here to find out what your state requires. the site says that, in some cases, you might not need an ID, but don't take any chances whatsoever... JUST BE SAFE AND BRING AN ID.

for example, a speaker came to our law school to talk about some (illegal) tactics that were being used - there were some corrupt election workers that told some voters who didn't need ID that they needed ID to vote. many of these people just left and didn't come back. their votes were not counted. DON'T GIVE ANYONE A CHANCE TO TURN YOU AWAY AT THE POLLS. EVEN IF THEY BREAK THE LAW AND YOU ARE A VICTIM OF ELECTION FRAUD, IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO LITIGATE, and the outcome of the litigation will not effect the election - it will already be long gone by then. there are still lawsuits pending from the last election, and guess what... bush is still president. so BRING AN ID. i'm going to take the safe route and bring my driver's license and a gas bill, because my address on my license doesn't match my current address. a social security card in addition to a state-issued ID wouldn't hurt either.

HOWEVER, if you get to the polls and find out that you're not on the voter rolls or something just plain fucked up so you can't vote the traditional way, don't leave without casting a vote. how? ask for a provisional ballot. it is required by law that you are given a provisional ballot. don't leave without voting.

to further protect yourself, you might want to bring a cell phone with these numbers programmed in: (1) election protection program's 1-866-OURVOTE and (2) common cause's 1-866-MYVOTE1. and if you're just plain stuck, just call "411" and ask for the number of your election board.

also... do NOT wear any political buttons, t-shirts, etc. don't wear "activist" t-shirts either. there are partisan election poll workers, and some may be bad apples (especially in areas known for voter suppression - voting problem spots mapped here), so it's best to be on the safe side. this might sound paranoid, but the poll workers hold the key to the ballots, so don't be a jackass, a tough guy, or an unabashed "proponent of the first amendment." remember, you can litigate unfair election practices later, but if your vote doesn't count, winning the lawsuit won't make a difference in the outcome of the election. lawsuits take years. the corrupt poll workers, if they are out there, know that. the point is to make your vote count.

if you don't have transportation, that's no excuse. GET TRANSPORTATION. call your friend and carpool. go on the internet and check out your bus / subway lines. call a cab. i'm sure there will be carpool services available just for elections [for example this one in virginia. and help those who cannot drive themselves get transportation.

a friend of mine who goes to law school with me told me that her grandmother in florida received her absentee ballot late (go figure). her grandmother griped a bit and shrugged it off. she told my friend (her granddaughter) that she didn't feel like standing in line for hours and she can't drive anyway, so she wasn't going to go. she said she would vote next time. so my friend informed her grandmother that she was going to buy a plane ticket, come down to florida, and escort her to the polls herself. so her grandmother, realizing that this was, in fact, a situation that merits a little more than just a "so what" attitude (an understatement), told my friend that she would vote if she had transportation. so my friend called her father to drive her grandmother to the polls.

i'll admit it: i used to be apathetic. i used to have the attitude that my vote wouldn't count. i am also the classic free-rider. i will admit that i don't recycle most of the time. i copy notes from my law school classmates. i'm fucking lazy. however, this is not the time to be a lazy ass. THIS LAZY ASS IS TELLING YOU TO GO VOTE. i'm getting up at 7am to vote. yep, my lazy ass that skips class to sleep in. this election is important, folks.

anywhere from zero to a few hundred votes (depending on who you ask) decided the election last time. don't think it can't happen again. this is not the time to be apathetic. this is not the time to say "my vote doesn't count." because it does.

p.s. if you would like to contact me directly for any reason whatsoever i can be reached at the following e-mail address -- gallsacsl[at]gmail.com.

[11.2.04 7:15am - my lazy ass just voted. now get your lazy ass out to vote! going back to bed... - emily2] [election results here]

p.p.s. this from emily1:

just wanted to add my own thoughts to emily2's awesome GOTV effort.

this election shouldn't be the end of your role as a voter. your vote is your primary means of making your voice heard. it's not just a right, it's a responsibility. participate in your local and congressional elections. they are just as important as the presidential election.