Press release from The Office of the Mayor:

(Harrisburg) – City Mayor Linda D. Thompson and a coalition of concerned community leaders will participate in a special day-long session, “Education for a Better America”, Friday, October, 19, 2012 at Goodwin Memorial Family Life Center and Camp Curtin School in Harrisburg.

The voter rights event, held by request of Mayor Thompson, is organized by Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network & Education for a Better America.

“As we look to November 6, it’s time to unite as a community to better educate and prepare city citizens for the impact of the voter ID law in Pennsylvania,” Mayor Thompson said today.

“A special visit by Rev. Al Sharpton and a day dedicated to a panel discussion of voter ID and other education issues in the coming election, is the effective way to bring concerned citizens together.” The mayor added.

Under the new state Voter ID law that takes effect in 2013, all voters must present an approved photo ID at the polls in order to vote on Election Day. A representative of the PA Department of State will also be available at the panel discussion.

“When about 5 million Americans may be disenfranchised from the polls this November according to the Brennan Center for Justice,” Rev. Sharpton noted, “we all understand that complacency is not an option.”

Reverend Dr. James D. Jackson, who provided the location for the luncheon, said: “We can’t be silent about important issues which so desperately matter and impact the lives of fellow Pennsylvanians and Americans.”

“Our goal as clergy and community leaders,” he added, “is to educate and empower newly registered and established voters.”

Mayor Thompson said that the day’s program “will provide a non-partisan Voter ID Clinic, open to all citizens, to explain the requirements for obtaining the proper photo ID as well as other topics, like what to do if there are issues at the polls.”

The October 19 agenda includes:

11 AM – 2 PM – Mayor Thompson and Rev. Sharpton will host a luncheon for elected officials, community leaders, activists, and clergy at Goodwin Memorial Family Life Center, 2447 Green St. Harrisburg, PA

2 PM - 4 PM - Education for a Better America, will conduct workshop sessions focused on voter education and critical issues in the 2012 election, at Camp Curtin School, 2900 North Sixth Street, Harrisburg, PA.

7 PM – A Voter ID rally featuring Rev. Sharpton and Mayor Thompson will be held at Camp Curtin School.

Mayor Thompson said the “goal is to educate and empower the electorate how to combat new restrictive voter requirements and ultimately protect all voter rights.”

The welcoming committee for this important voter rights event includes: Mayor Linda D. Thompson, Rev. Dr. James Jackson, Dr. Sybil Knight-Burney, Superintendent Harrisburg School District, John Jordan, PA, NAACP, Rev. Martin Odom, Rev. Benjamin Bailey, Sr., President of the PA Baptist Convention; Bishop A. E. Sullivan, Lola Lawson, Chair, Community Relations Committee Harrisburg School District, Rev. Dr. Brenda Alton, community leader and activist Gloria Martin-Roberts, and Marilyn Levin.

Photo/Natalie Cake