Voter registration deadlines are upon us. You can help spread the word by signing up to Register 8 in ’08--that means registering eight people you know so they can vote in 2008.

One MomsRising.org member in Seattle stationed herself outside the zoo recently to help register voters. She sent in a photo of her daughter who went with her (see attachment), along with this comment: “In general it's a good place to do it [register voters]. Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help locally. I'm happy to host a GOTV [get-out-the-vote] there Election Day for a few hours. It's my daughter's first birthday that day, too! See how concerned she is in the photo? I'm hoping we get to do a big double celebration!”

I helped spread the word about upcoming voter registration deadlines by making an announcement at my kids' school PTA meeting and in the school newsletter. I also joined the MomsRising.org "Walk the Block" effort in Washington, where moms across Washington signed up to walk their blocks and pass out fliers with voter registration information. It was a lot of fun and easy to do.

The hardest part of voter registration is figuring out the rules and regulations, which vary from state to state and can be very complex. The best way to make sure you’re registered and your vote will count is to visit your Secretary of State’s Web site and review the deadlines and check your status. If you are still not sure, call your Secretary of State’s office. The League of Women Voters sponsors a site called Vote411.org at http://www.vote411.org where you can find your Secretary of State web site and other voting information. Rock the Vote also provides links to Secretary of State web sites and voting information at http://www.rockthevote.com/voting-is-easy/the-voting-process/contact-sos/.