Article: Mayday Mayday! Will your vote count in November?

Uncounted The New Math of American Elections A film by David Earnhardt

As we finish up this tumultuous primary season and head into the general election, "Mayday" is the emergency code word and international signal for distress that should be on everyone's lips. For as much progress as we've made on the issue of election integrity, come November we are still only a Supreme Court decision or state law away from your precious vote being denied, lost, or altered.

Photo by: Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

2000. 2004. 2008.

We can feel it as much as you - that sense of urgency and trepidation as the threat of another bungled presidential election breathes down our necks. But it's actually the people we've met and the successes we've had that has kept us going for the last 4 months - and will keep us going for the next seven:

We've traveled to 30 cities - including extended tours in Arizona, North Carolina, California, and Oregon - and partnered with national, state and local election integrity groups* to use the film as a tool to help shed some much-needed light on the systemic problems inherent in our elections. That's almost 10,000 people who have heard the wake-up call.
We've made appearances with the doc at the Ashland Independent, Martha's Vineyard, Durango Independent, and Rainier Independent Film Festivals, and have been accepted at six others.
We've partnered with Brave New Theaters, Democracy for America (DFA), and Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), and sold DVDs through the website in all 50 states and 20 countries, for close to 400 private house party screenings.
Picking up where HBO's Recount left off, UNCOUNTED is what "People Are Talking About..." in the May issue of Vogue Magazine.
North Carolina Public Radio's Frank Stasio (State of Things), Nova M Progressive Radio Network's Mike Malloy, Air America's Thom Hartmann, and NPR/XM Satellite Radio's Bob Edwards are whom we've been talking to on the radio. Listen here.
We've launched a blog and a listserv to keep everyone updated more frequently;
In addition to our online sales via the website, UNCOUNTED will be available at retail outlets and online retailers as of August 26, 2008.

Power in Numbers

In the words of Jay-Z (hey, if Obama can reference him then we can too), "Hold up...stop wait...reverse the tape. We can't stop, won't stop..." No, we won't stop! Because we know, as you do, that there is undeniable, documented proof that millions of votes have gone uncounted in every major election of this past decade. We also know that the mainstream and corporate media, the people in charge of elections, and even elected officials and politicians refuse to talk about it. Our "do-it-yourself" approach of organizing UNCOUNTED screenings all across the country is working, but time is running out and we need to move faster! Here's what you can do to help disseminate this critical information before election day in November:

Give those "any excuse for a party" friends and family you have an excuse for one! Sign up to host an UNCOUNTED house party at Brave New Theaters, or contact vin@pdamerica.org to arrange one through Progressive Democrats of America.
Encourage your public or school library to buy a copy of the DVD.
Contact your congressional representative and ask, "Where the heck are you on this issue?"
Go to UncountedTheMovie.com for one of our discounted 5-packs and give them out to the media, election commissioners, legislators, and people more famous than you. (5 free DVDs and a big ol' hug to anyone who can get a copy to Stephen Colbert).

Mr. Earnhardt Goes to Washington

Save the date of September 9. UNCOUNTED at the American Film Institute in Washington, DC. If The Man won't come to UNCOUNTED, then UNCOUNTED will take it to The Man. Stay tuned...

The UNCOUNTED Fight Song

Fight! UNCOUNTED, fight on! Fight with all your might! Since students are a voter block most susceptible to disenfranchisement, this fall we will bring the issue to them. If you are interested in having UNCOUNTED in your college town this fall, contact Mary Mancini at mary@uncountedthemovie.com or 615-327-0600.

Thanks so much for being a part of the effort to protect the vote!

David

David Earnhardt
Producer/director/writer, UNCOUNTED: The New Math of American Elections

www.UncountedTheMovie.com

To view the trailer of "Uncounted", go to: http://www.uncountedthemovie.com/trailer.html

*Shouts out to Voting Rights Task Force, Election Defense Alliance, AuditAZ, State College Peace Center, Concerned Voters of Centre County, Common Cause of Tennessee, Gathering To Save Our Democracy, The Free Press, Democracy for Cincinnati, Hamilton County Young Democrats, Common Cause of North Carolina, North Carolina Coalition for Verified Voting, Vote Allegheny, Election Reform Network, Arizona Advocacy Network (AZAN), Democracy for America Maricopa County (DFA-MC), Alliance for Democracy - Portland Chapter, Linn-Benton Pacific Green Party, Oregon Voter Rights Coalition, Salem Progressive Film Series, Truth in Voting, IHC/Coalition for Voting Integrity, and BradBlog.com.