get out the vote Archives - Florida Family Action

Volunteers Work in Fla. Panhandle to Get ‘Hurricane’ Voters to Polls

Admin — Thu, 08 Nov 2018 15:42:29 +0000

Originally Published in NEWSMAX | By David A. Patten | Tuesday, 06 November 2018

In a storm-struck region of Florida that overwhelmingly favors conservatives, would-be voters tell relief workers they’re “just struggling to survive.”

Most polling places and indeed most structures are damaged or destroyed in the wake of Hurricane Michael. Shelters are packed, people don’t have roofs on their homes, and thousands have been displaced.

Florida Family Action, a social-conservative organization led by John Stemberger, has launched Operation Panhandle to provide voter assistance.

Stemberger’s team of 60 volunteers are navigating storm-tossed neighborhoods and shelters to help Hurricane Michael refugees get to the new, centralized polling locations there that have replaced the normal election infrastructure blown away by the storm, one of the strongest to ever hit the United States.

Over the weekend Stemberger filed this report from the front lines of the relief effort:

“I am writing this email in real time on the ground from the hurricane ravaged regions of North Florida where we are fully engaged in an emergency get out the vote (GOTV) campaign called “Operation Panhandle Vote.’

“We have set up our headquarters in Panama City, Bay County where the devastation was the worst and it is more serious than I could have ever imagined.

“As you read this, I am leading a group of about 65 of our volunteers and other modestly paid workers who have come from all across Florida to be part of this effort. We are walking through damaged neighborhoods, offering people voting information, poll location flyers, voter guides, snacks, water, a prayer and a ride to the polls.

“In some areas over 50 percent of the residential, commercial and government buildings have been completely destroyed. The power is just now being turned on for some households after weeks without it in the rural areas.

“The devastation is so bad, that two of our older volunteers told me yesterday that it was simply more than they expected or could handle and had to head back home. They were just exhausted and overwhelmed by it. It truly is a major disaster area.

“One pastor who is a very good friend of ours from one of the largest churches in the area said, ‘John, we can’t even take any more voter guides for other churches from you right now. We are feeding 8,000 people a day, most of our buildings have been damaged and we can barely keep up with just surviving…’

“Another pastor described people in his church spending most of their days just digging personal belongings from their wrecked homes and guarding their property from looters.

“After learning they did not have insurance for wind damage, many families have no way to think about rebuilding from the rubble of their properties.

“I have been in active communication with the Supervisors of Elections [SEO] in Bay and surrounding counties.

“Pursuant to the Governor’s Emergency Executive Order on Hurricane Michael, the SEO has designated voting/polling places available and open, six major Mega Polling sites. This morning we are also moving into and canvassing Calhoun, Gadsden, and Franklin counties.

“It is somewhat challenging approaching people in the midst of this kind of suffering and reminding them to vote but this area is critical to every statewide election in Florida and it has been hit hard.

“The people here were so glad to be reminded of the election as it has just been completely off the radar for thousands of voters here. These votes could make the difference in this very close election.”

“This project was certainly not in our annual operating budget, but the votes of these good people are just as important as yours or mine, so we are doing everything in our power to help them make their vote count!”

Stemberger asks anyone able to support the Operation Panhandle relief effort to consider making a donation.

The post Volunteers Work in Fla. Panhandle to Get ‘Hurricane’ Voters to Polls appeared first on Florida Family Action.

It all comes down to Florida, and specifically, the I-4 Corridor

Admin — Tue, 01 Nov 2016 17:26:22 +0000

Friend,

Did you see the email I sent you last week? More importantly, did you see the article that came out yesterday in the New York Times? They are reporting the presidential election ALL COMES DOWN TO FLORIDA! Specifically, the I-4 Corridor from St. Pete / Tampa, east through Polk County, and then Orlando and Seminole County all the way to the east coast of Daytona.

I believe this is the tipping point of the election and we are exactly one week out from the election and thousands more voters can be reached by social media efforts and our get-out-the-vote campaign in our five offices around the state.

If you’ve been busy and haven’t had a chance to give to our voter education and get out the vote efforts efforts, or, if you would like to give another gift today, would you do that now? PLEASE GIVE HERE TODAY

Over 35% of voters have voted already but absentee ballots are being mailed in daily…. Voters are casting their ballots at early voting locations all around the state… Our phones at the office are ringing off the hook with voter guide requests and questions… and it’s all building up to November 8th.

Below is a copy of the email I sent about 10 days ago, stressing how important this election is to our religious liberty, as Christians in America. If you haven’t read it, would you take a moment and read it, and prayerfully respond?

Thanks so much! John Stemberger

——————————————————————————

From: Florida Family Action
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2016
Subject: We may all become “Ichthus Christians” if…

Friend,

I will get right to the point.

If this election goes the wrong way, we may all have to return to being “Ichthus” Christians where we are sneaking around just to speak of our faith in secret because we are unable to publicly.

The ichthus, (pronounced “ikh-thoos”) the “fish symbol,” was used by Christians (as early as the 1st Century AD) to help identify with one another silently, in the hope of escaping persecution. Christians would often draw an “ichthus” to let other Christians know that they were fellow believers of Christ and that it was safe to talk about their faith.

Fast forward to 2016…

We are on the brink of being in a similar place as the early church, where government sanctioned persecution of Christians is the norm!

And while we may not yet face physical death, we are on track to face the death of our robust religious liberty, our ability to worship, our ability to preach from the Bible, our ability to live our lives and run our businesses according to Scripture and speak of our faith publicly. After our rights are stripped, the consequences and the persecution will come.

If we are going to stop this from happening, we need your help today.

Would you invest with a sacrificial gift now to help our election efforts to preserve religious liberty?

Time is short, with less than 3 weeks left until the election.

We must ACT NOW if we are going to thwart, stop or hopefully reverse this devastating course our culture is on.

Evidence that the persecution and attempted eradication of our faith has already begun:

In Iowa and Massachusetts, Christian churches are being told they are now public accommodations and need to comply with non-discrimination laws as it relates to transgender use of showers, locker rooms and bathrooms. These anti-liberty sexual orientation and gender identity, or SOGI, laws in state civil rights codes (exactly like the Florida Competitive Workforce Act which will be proposed again in 2017) are creating the problems and could grant government a “green light to directly regulate churches.” This is outrageous but it’s exactly where the battle is headed—inside the walls of your local church.

In Pennsylvania, the Senate Labor and Industry Committee recently held a hearing on a bill which would make it illegal for religious churches, schools and other religious organizations to only hire employees that agree with the religious organization’s teaching on sexuality, marriage and gender. Our opponents are pushing hard for this.

In California, three faith-based crisis pregnancy centers are in the middle of a legal battle to continue to operate according to their faith by offering resources, counseling, advice and alternatives to abortion. The State of California is requiring them to post agovernment-approved message – promoting free or low cost access to “family planning” (or ABORTION!) or be fined $500 for the first violation and $1,000 for each additional violation. This law was just upheld by the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Appeals.

Christian business owners providing goods and services to weddings throughout our country are being attacked by SOGI laws which enable gay activists to slap businesses with costly lawsuits and fines for simply living out their faith, if they choose not to celebrate or participate in same-sex marriage ceremonies with their creative and artistic services.

Business owners, corporations, and organizations which provide health insurance to their employees are being forced to pay for abortions or abortifacient drugs throughObamacare, regardless of their, or the employees,’ religious beliefs that all life is sacred. Any disagreement or failure to comply is met with government imposed fines and penalties.

If you disagree with this encroachment on our religious liberty, would you stand with us today and help us preserve this precious right with a secure online gift?

Did you notice the consistent government enforcer in the examples above?

… legal battle in a US District Court (DISTRICT COURTS) which could grant government a green light to regulate churches

… Senate Labor and Industry Committee (THE STATE LEGISLATURE)

… government approved message (by THE STATE)

… federal government mandated “Affordable Care Act” or “Obamacare”. (OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT carrying out the will of the President of the United States.)

Here is my point: You and I have an impact on every single one of these branches and levels of government, directly or indirectly, which determine our future – WHEN WE VOTE!

Unfortunately, many voters are confused about voting in this election, and have said they may sit out this election and not vote. That would be catastrophic. We must not be governed by emotions and feelings. Rather we must look at the facts which our Voter Guides present clearlyHERE.

We must reach more Christian voters, educate them with the facts, and encourage them to vote. This takes substantial funding. Will you help us with a gift of any amount today?

IF WE DON’T REACH MORE CHRISTIANS, EDUCATE THEM WITH THE FACTS, AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO VOTE, WE ARE CERTAIN TO LOSE MANY OF OUR RELIGIOUS LIBERTIES IN AMERICA WITHIN THE NEXT 4 YEARS.

On November 9^th, I hope we can all wake up knowing we have done everything within our power to protect religious liberty for our children and our next generation. I hope you will join me in this effort with both PRAYER and with a GIFT of any amount today HERE.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

John Stemberger

PS: Our impact will be limited only by our funding. Thank you in advance for giving your best gift possible at this time, and for praying for us, our efforts, and our country!

The post It all comes down to Florida, and specifically, the I-4 Corridor appeared first on Florida Family Action.