On Tuesday, Congressman John Lewis will join for a tele-town hall meeting to discuss the current Early Voting legislation (A-3553) that passed through the legislature last month, and is currently awaiting action by Governor Christie. The legislation, if passed, will make New Jersey the 33rd state, not including the District of Columbia, to adopt early voting. The bill would give New Jerseyans 15 days before Election Day to vote early, and will extend voting hours on weekday and weekend evenings.

While every state should adopt an early voting program, no state knows its importance better than New Jersey. Last year, the democratic process was compromised by Hurricane Sandy, causing some localities to put last-minute measures into place, causing confusion and disenfranchising voters. In fact, nearly 250,000 less votes were cast between last year and 2008. Early voting would strengthen democracy and take into account work schedules, disabilities, illnesses, child care, and other issues that would prevent registered voters from participating in the democratic process. This legislation will improve New Jersey’s voting system and increase civic engagement and participation in our electoral process.

WHAT: Tele-Town Hall Meeting with Congressman John Lewis

WHO: Congressman John Lewis
Congressman Rush Holt
Assemblyman John Wisniewski, New Jersey Democratic State Committee Chair
State Senator Nia Gill
Charles Hall, Jr., Working Families United for New Jersey, Inc. Chair
Charles Wowkanech, New Jersey State AFL-CIO President

DATE: Tuesday, April 16th, 2013

TIME: 12:15 p.m.

Call-In Number: 866-590-5055
Participant Code: 9108583

Lewis was one of the "Big Six" leaders in the American Civil Rights Movement and chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), playing a key role in the struggle to end legalized racial discrimination and segregation.

Charles Hall speaks with Mark Riley of the WWRL Morning Show about the importance of passing early voting registration legislation in New Jersey.  So far both the Assembly and the State Senate have passed the legislation, but Governor Chris Christie has not signed it.  Listen to the conversation by downloading the radio broadcast.

Many new immigrants begin by their jobs by making minimum wage. This is why Working Families United for New Jersey, Inc., is fighting a raise in the minimum wage.

Currently the minimum wage stands at $7.25 an hour, the measure on the ballot this year would see it raised to $8.25 an hour with a cost of living adjustment added on.

• This measure on the ballot this year would not only increase the state minimum wage, but would adjust the wage with the cost of living.
• Allowing EVERYONE on minimum wage to earn a descent living.
• We encourage everyone to one of our flyers being distributed and add their organization to growing list of organizations statewide that support our "Raise the Wage" campaign.

As I said before, there are those who would seek to divide us, those who are happy with the status quo. Those who firmly believe that either our cause can wait, or that they truly don't want to see progress due to intolerance or greed.

• Those who can't imagine the fear that parents have of being separated from their children in the middle of the night.
• Those who will never understand how difficult it to afford an education with no means of financial aid by no fault ofyour own.
• Those like Alaska Congressman Don Young, who believes that using derogatory terms are fine because it was the norm for them as a child.
• Those who have always stood against progress from the times of women's suffrage, the civil rights movement, to equality for all and now for the rights of millions who live here without a voice.

Still the truth remains in the words ofDr. Martin Luther King, Jr.," the arc ofthe moral universe is long, but bends towards justice" and we stand united here today and we are always fighting to keep it that way.

Thank you.