Bradley Whitford Radio Ad Targets 3 Million Decline-to-State Voters
PRESS RELEASE
February 2, 2008
CONTACT:
Sibahn Epps
PHONE: 310-860-1307
Humorous “Agnes & Myrtle: Yes, You Can…” Video Launched: A Hit on YouTube
Los Angeles, CA — The Courage Campaign announced today that it will launch radio ads on Monday and Election Day as part of its “Yes, You Can…Vote for President” multi-media campaign informing California’s 3 million Decline-to-State voters of their right to vote for a presidential candidate in Tuesday’s Democratic Party primary.
The outreach campaign has already been covered within the last week by the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Politico, and the Huffington Post. The Chronicle article (“State Dems Accused of Ignoring Independents”) is linked here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/02/MN3QUQKIG.DTL
The new radio ads, starring Bradley Whitford (“Josh Lyman” on The West Wing) will air Monday and Election Day on talk and news stations in the San Francisco, Sacramento, Fresno and Bakersfield media markets, including KGO-AM and KCBS in the Bay Area.
Whitford’s message to independent voters: If you are registered as “Decline-to-State,” you can vote for a presidential candidate in Tuesday’s Democratic Party primary. (NOTE: According to California Republican Party rules, the Republican primary is only open to registered Republican voters).
The audio is available for download at the following link and the script is below this press release:
http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/-/CourageBradWhitfordradio.mp3
“The Courage Campaign wants independent voters in California to help choose the next president,” said Rick Jacobs, Chair and Founder of the Courage Campaign. “We are delighted that Bradley Whitford again gave his time and political acumen to helping to get the message out that independents can vote on Tuesday.”
“Agnes & Myrtle: ‘Yes, you can… vote for President!” — a short, funny YouTube outreach video — can also be viewed at:
http://www.couragecampaign.org/vote
This web page includes a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page for DTS voters.
The “Agnes & Myrtle: ‘Yes, You Can…” video is already getting rave reviews on YouTube, charting as one of the top political videos viewed on the video-sharing web site. Produced by Handsome Donkey (http://www.handsomedonkey.com), a company of young, talented comedians, the video uses humor to raise awareness that unless DTS voters actually ask for a Democratic Party ballot at their polling place on Tuesday, they will be given a ballot that does not include presidential candidates, effectively disenfranchising them from participating.
“The guys at Handsome Donkey who made this terrific video have done a brilliant job of making us laugh at a real problem, which is this high barrier to those who want to vote for president,” Jacobs continued.
The video and the radio ads are the latest addition to the Courage Campaign’s “Yes You Can…Vote for President” campaign that has thus far contacted some 300,000 DTS voters across California with a simple message: “Yes, you can… vote for President.”
DTS voters, representing 19.4% of the electorate (1 out of every 5 voters), are allowed to vote in the Democratic primary, but they rarely participate. In the March 2, 2004, California presidential primary, only 8% of those unaffiliated voters requested a Democratic ballot.
The actual numbers are starker: About 207,000 DTS voters cast Democratic ballots for a presidential candidate, even though approximately 2.5 million were registered to vote. (1) Meanwhile, more than 3 million Democrats, or 47%, voted in the 2004 primary. (2)
In order to vote in this year’s Democratic primary, voters registered as DTS must request a Democratic Party ballot, either from their local registrar or from a polling place worker on Election Day. If they do not request a Democratic Party ballot, DTS voters will — by default — receive ballots that include only state and local initiatives.
Voters who cast their ballot at the polls on February 5 must specifically request a Democratic Party ballot from a poll worker — but poll workers are not required to inform DTS voters of their right to participate in the Democratic primary.
“Imagine walking into the polling place expecting to vote for your favorite presidential candidate and receiving a ballot without presidential candidates?” said Jacobs. “Without an information and outreach campaign, the odds are that — just like 2004 — only a handful of Decline-to-State voters will participate in one of the most significant and engaging presidential primary elections of our lifetime.”
Decline-to-State voters are the fastest growing segment of those registered to vote in California. According to Secretary of State Debra Bowen, 19.4% of the state’s voters are now registered DTS, double the number of DTS registered voters in 1992 (9.5%). Meanwhile, Democratic and Republican party registration has steadily decreased since 1992, with Democrats declining from 48.5% to 42.9% and Republicans declining from 38.9%.to 33.2%, respectively.(3, 4)
“Polling of DTS voters carries very little validity since the barriers to casting a ballot are so high,” said Jacobs. “The Courage Campaign’s mission is to educate voters and build a more progressive California. We see increasing the opportunity for DTS voters to participate in the Democratic Party primary as an important step in achieving our mission.”
- http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/regstats_02_17_04.pdf
- http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2004_primary/voter_stats_by_party_mar04.pdf
- http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ror/60day_presprim/hist_reg_stats.pdf
- http://www.sos.ca.gov/executive/press_releases/2008/DB08_020.pdf
——————BEGIN RADIO SCRIPT———————
“INDEPENDENT COURAGE”
:60 – RADIO – COURAGE CAMPAIGN
BRADLEY WHITFORD:
This is Brad(ley) Whitford.
On the West Wing, my character Josh Lyman was inspired by a refreshing brand of politics. Political leaders had courage and shook things up.
In 2008, independent voters are making history by shaking up the presidential primaries.
If you are an independent voter – meaning you declined to state a party affiliation when you registered — you can vote for President in the Democratic primary.
For whatever reason the Republican primary is closed. Only registered Republicans can vote there.
To vote for President this Tuesday, February 5th independent voters must request a “Democratic Party ballot.”
If you don’t request a Democratic ballot, you can’t vote for President.
Independent voters. Request a Democratic ballot. Maybe even tell a like-minded friend to do the same.
This is Bradley Whitford.
For independents voting February 5th — you may have thought you can’t make a difference in California’s Democratic primary.
I’m here to tell you: Yes. You. Can.
BRADLEY WHITFORD:
DISCLAIMER: “PAID FOR bY Courage Campaign”
—————END RADIO SCRIPT———————
Courage Campaign is an independent political committee and online organizing network empowering grassroots and netroots activists to build a progressive California. In 2008, the Courage Campaign will catalyze action to increase California’s importance in the race for the White House, hold our elected officials accountable, and block Blackwater from building a base on our border.
Rick Jacobs is the founder and chair of the Courage Campaign. He chaired Howard Dean’s presidential campaign in California. He is also the co-founder and chair of Brave New Films and a featured contributor to Arianna Huffington’s Huffingtonpost.com. Rick has a long background as an investor and senior executive. Rick Jacobs is available for interviews by calling 310-860-1307.
Paid for by the Courage Campaign