New
Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey,
New Jersey Brigadier General and Deputy
Adjutant General Maria Falca-Dodson, Assemblywoman
Bonnie Watson Coleman, Assemblywoman Linda
R. Greenstein, Lawrence Township Mayor
Pamela H. Mount and actor Joe Piscopo
were joined by members of the New Jersey
National guard, Jewish War Veterans, Disabled
American War Veterans, American Legion
and the Veterans of Foreign War for “Military
Voter Awareness Day” and the taping
of the first Public Service Announcement
(PSA) by military personnel as part of
New Jersey “BE
POWERFUL, BE HEARD” Help America
Vote Act initiative.
Prior
to the taping the Attorney General led
a brief program to thank the New Jersey
National Guard and veterans for joining
the “BE POWERFUL, BE HEARD”
campaign to raise voter awareness and
encourage military personnel and their
families to vote.
Harvey
said, “Participating in the electoral
process in person or through absentee
ballot, not just in New Jersey, but anywhere
in the world, is an essential component
of democracy, which is why partnering
with the New Jersey National Guard is
such an important initiative.” He
continued, “Through the Help America
Vote Act we created the “Be Powerful,
Be Heard” Vote initiative and have
over the past year significantly increased
voter awareness, resulting in a record
number of registered voters - more than
460,000 bringing New Jersey’s number
of registered voters to more than five
million for the first time in state history.”
According
to Harvey, the purpose of the PSA is for
the New Jersey National Guard to remind
and encourage other military personnel
around the world and their families to
register and vote and to encourage people
everywhere to vote. The PSA and the event
will be archived and a copy will be forwarded
to all military personnel in Iraq and
throughout the world through the Defense
Department via the Pentagon Channel and
the Air Force News Service as well as
local networks and on the web in New Jersey.
Brigadier
General and Deputy Adjutant General Maria
Falca-Dodson said, “The citizen-soldiers
of our New Jersey Army and Air National
Guard are patriotic, dedicated members
of the United States Armed Services who
even while deployed overseas, still take
the time to vote, either on-line or by
absentee ballot. Members of the New Jersey
National guard exemplify courage, particularly
on the front lines of war and commitment
to the country and the citizens they protect.”
In New Jersey, there are more than 9,000
members of the Army and National Guard.
Approximately 2,500 members of the Guard
are currently deployed with the global
war on terrorism. There have been as many
as 3,300 members of the New Jersey National
Guard deployed in the war. Members of
the Guard are or have been deployed in
Iraq, Afghanistan, Cuba, Germany and Italy.
In addition to their work on the global
war on terrorism, the New Jersey National
Guard are also an integral part of Homeland
Security, securing nuclear power plants
in New Jersey following 9-11, bridges
and tunnels in addition to responding
to regional emergency disasters including
floods and storms.
Today’s program also included Colonel
Stephen Abel, Deputy Commissioner of Veteran
Affairs for New Jersey, Captain David
Beverage and members of the National Guard
Troops; Commander Robert Richter and members
of the Jewish War Veterans; Commander
Mary Bencivenga and members of the Disabled
American War Veterans; Jim Villard and
members of the American Legion; Donny
Wine and members of the Veterans of Foreign
War, Middlesex County Superintendent of
Elections Betty Munroe and County Clerk
Elaine Flynn.
Also, joining in today’s program
was actor, comedian and activist Joe Piscopo.
Piscopo said, “Our National Guard
and all armed service members are on the
front line of defending our country and
our State," said Piscopo. "If
troops from New Jersey deployed across
the globe take time to cast their vote,
then people in New Jersey and across the
nation should do the same."
Today’s program is part of the Help
America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002, a federal
law providing for federal monies to assist
states in upgrading voting equipment,
election procedures and education and
outreach. Through HAVA, the Office of
the Attorney General has sponsored a number
of outreach initiatives designed to educate
New Jerseyans about the importance of
voting and voter registration.
PSA’s have also included actors
and sports figures, all with a New Jersey
connection actors Michael Douglas, Jason
Alexander and Billy Baldwin; and entertainers
Queen Latifah and from sports the New
York Giants, Jeremiah Trotter of the Philadelphia
Eagles and Kenny Anderson, formerly of
the New Jersey Nets.
The Attorney General said while the primary
component of public outreach on voting
has centered on students and youth voting,
other groups, such as military personnel
are also being included. He said, “Today’s
event is “Military Voter Awareness
Day.” In addition to focusing on
registering and exercising the right to
vote, we are also recognizing New Jersey
Guard troops who have returned from Iraq
and other military personnel who contribute
on a daily basis to keeping all New Jerseyans
safe.”
Harvey
continued, “We also want to recognize
veterans of World War II, and the Korean
and Vietnam Wars and their families as
well, some of whom are joining us today.”
The Attorney General also thanked the
State Police Pipes for participating in
today’s program.
The 2005 elections include Primary Elections
on June 7, followed by the General Election,
including the gubernatorial election on
November 8. The registration deadline
for the General/Gubernatorial Election
is October 10. People can apply for absentee
ballots by mail up to seven days in advance
of Election Day and in person until 3
p.m. the Monday before election day. For
more information about voting, visit www.NJElections.org.
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