[News-releases] NOW Turns Out Women's Vote in Upcoming Elections

	For Immediate Release Contact: Lisa Bennett, 202-628-8669, ext. 123; cell 202-641-1906
NOW Turns Out Women's Vote in Upcoming Elections November 1, 2006 Women voters will play an important role in next week's midterm elections as they register their feelings about the current state of affairs in the U.S. Their votes will reflect a repudiation of foreign policy that has us mired in a war that has cost the lives of thousands of U.S. troops and tens of thousands more Iraqi soldiers and civilians. They will vote to increase the minimum wage, which is not sufficient to support a family or even an individual woman in most local economies. And they will support indispensable domestic programs such as education, health care and Social Security, which are severely under funded. This year, women will register their disapproval of congressional leaders and the Bush allies who have initiated relentless attacks on women's reproductive freedom. They will send a clear message by electing leaders who support women's rights -- from securing reproductive freedom to ensuring access to health care, from creating a livable wage to maintaining Social Security. NOW, the NOW Foundation, and NOW Political Action Committees are working to motivate women voters in both state and federal elections. In addition to NOW chapters' local political action committees organizing in many states, below is a brief outline of some of National NOW and NOW Political Action Committee's staffed projects this election season across the country: Connecticut: working to elect anti-war, progressive candidates Diane Farrell and Ned Lamont Ohio: working to elect County Commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy to Congress and Rep. Sherrod Brown to the U.S. Senate New Mexico: organizing to elect State Attorney General Patricia Madrid to Congress Pennsylvania: working to elect Lois Murphy to Congress and turn out the women's vote Washington state: working to elect Darcy Burner and Peter Goldmark to the U.S. House and win reelection of Rep. Rick Larsen Virginia: working to elect health care expert Judy Feder to Congress Michigan: working to protect affirmative action and turn out the women's vote (canvassing in Oakland County in addition to phoning women's rights supporters throughout Michigan). Alabama: working to get out the pro-choice vote for local feminist candidates Idaho: organizing to elect local feminist candidates and defeat the punitive anti-equal marriage ballot measure Montana: working to elect Monica Lindeen to the U.S. House, providing campaign training, and getting out the women's vote across the state Maryland: working to get out the vote for local feminist candidates, elect Ben Cardin to the U.S. Senate and reelect Chris Van Hollen to the U.S. House NOW and NOW PAC are running dedicated grassroots campaigns -- and our door-to-door advocacy, phone banking and direct mail efforts are reaching thousands of women. The non-partisan NOW Foundation is working to defeat the abortion ban in South Dakota and increase voter turnout in Michigan. In addition, through the Engaging Women project, NOW Foundation is supporting the minimum wage ballot measure in Arizona, protecting affirmative action in Michigan, as well as increasing the turnout of women voter in Michigan, Arizona and Washington state. For listings of NOW PACs candidate endorsements, visit www.nowpacs.org/2006/guide.html.

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