AFGE Takes Lead on Voter Protection Campaign

Union Feels Voter Protection Will Play Large Role in Election Outcome

WASHINGTON, July 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With a record number of
Americans registered to vote in the 2008 presidential election, the American
Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) has taken the lead on a voter
protection campaign with Andrea E. Brooks, National Vice President of Women's
and Fair Practices, as the coordinator.

NVP Brooks and AFGE intend to inform the public of their rights and
responsibilities as voters, publish new information as it becomes available,
and address other issues related to voters' rights. AFGE and its locals are
focusing on developing voter rights coalitions and working with existing
coalitions on advocacy work and organizing voter rights efforts.

"The overall objective of the voter protection campaign is to have the
nation's citizens successfully get to the polls, cast ballots, and have their
ballots counted," said NVP Brooks. "Americans cannot continue to have their
ability to participate in the Democratic process taken away from them."

AFGE's voter protection campaign targets the general public; however, a lot of
attention will be given to those most likely to have trouble casting their
ballots, including college-students, new voters, minorities, and older
Americans. There were recent reports in Indiana that elderly nuns were turned
away from the polls because they did not possess any form of I.D. This case
holds true for other older Americans who do not need licenses because they do
not drive or do anything else that would require them to have I.D. on hand.

"These key demographics have been disenfranchised in the past," said John
Gage, president of AFGE. "However, if a majority can successfully cast their
ballot they could truly make a difference in the outcome of this presidential
election."

AFGE has recently launched student-oriented voter protection Facebook and
MySpace pages (www.myspace.com/afgevoterprotection), which will help students
better prepare for Election Day. AFGE will launch national radio and print ad
campaigns, as well. AFGE is working with third party groups including the
AFL-CIO; Rock the Vote, a nonpartisan group that works to engage young people
in the political process; and the Alliance for Retired Americans, another
nonpartisan organization that focuses on issues important to older Americans.

"The great decision facing our nation must be determined by the voters--all of
the voters," National Vice President Brooks later added.

For more information on voter protection, please visit www.afge.org or
http://wfp.afge.org.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal
employees union, representing 600,000 workers in the federal government and
the government of the District of Columbia.

SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees

Yasmin Fletcher of the American Federation of Government Employees,
+1-202-639-6419