We decided to end our journey across non-voting America at Oprah’s studio in Chicago after the stories of Miss Donna and her son Dante in New Orleans (WATCH episode 5 “Under the Bridge”), Patrick Crowe in Kansas City (WATCH episode 6 “Run, Oprah, Run”) and young Obama volunteers in Iowa City (WATCH episode 9 “Youthful beginnings”).
Their stories made me feel that Oprah could play a key role in mobilizing the non-voters on Election Day on November 4th. A role that goes beyond her endorsement of Barack Obama. For the non-voters it’s of huge important what kind of candidate they can vote for, but there are also many other reasons why people don’t vote. Like a lack of trust in the voting system, to just name one.
Through her show Oprah could address the issue of low voter turnout and the question why so many Americans so far choose not to participate in voting and put it high on the news agenda in the final months leading up to Election Day.
In the twenty years of her show Oprah has so often asked her viewers to change and improve their life. On issues ranging from relationships to food, from spiritual well-being to caring for the ones in need.
Oprah got America to read again. Wouldn’t 2008 be the perfect moment if Oprah got non-voting America to vote again? Wouldn’t that also be the perfect way of helping the Obama campaign? If Obama does become the Democratic nominee attracting new voters will be of crucial importance for him to win from his Republican opponent John McCain.
If, after watching the movie, and reading this blog, you feel that Oprah should become America’s Ultimate Motivoter of the already historic presidential election of 2008, then please help me convince her.
HOW CAN YOU HELP ME?
Send an email to Oprah through the website of The Oprah Winfrey Show via this LINK and tell her about the movie and the blog and if and why you feel she should become America’s Ultimate Motivoter.
Send an email to Oprah’s producers at The Oprah Winfrey Show by going to the
LINK on the show’s website where you can suggest new show ideas. If you feel that Oprah could help boost awareness of why so many Americans still don’t vote and how this can be changed then please suggest the producers to devote time to this issue in the last few months and weeks before Election Day on November 4th.
You can write a letter to Oprah, like I did, and send it to:
Harpo Studios
1058 W Washington
Chicago, IL, 60607
Tell your friends and colleagues about this blog and the movie and ask them to help me as well. I would especially appreciate it if you would ask those people you know who don’t vote at elections to watch the movie. It would be great to hear from them and hear if they are considering to vote this election.
Soon there will also be a petition form on this page that you can sign. I will make sure that the petitions get to The Oprah Winfrey Show.