Voting Increases Among Homeless
Every shelter, in cooperation with the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless worked to register and transport homeless people to vote on November 2, 2004. Brian Davis, director of NEOCH, said “I am confident that nearly every person who was homeless on Nov. 2 was asked if they had voted, if they wanted to vote, and if they needed help with transportation.”
NEOCH had 70 volunteers on election day who provided transportation. NEOCH registered nearly 400 people. We transported over 300 people on election day. Along with our efforts, we know at least 1015 additional people voted from the shelters. There were also 9 shelters from which we could not get voting numbers. Bottom line is that homeless people did vote in Cleveland this last presidential election. Davis said, “ We hope to translate this political involvement into a recognized political constituency within the community.”
Homeless Voting Statistics From Area Shelters
November 2, 2004
|
Shelter |
Number of Voters |
Number of people at shelter on 11/2/04 |
|
These shelters responded |
|
|
|
Lakeside Shelter Angeline Christian Home Continue Inn City Mission East Side Catholic Shelter Family Transitional Housing Inc Harbor Light Complex Hitchcock Center for Women Hospitality Network Josephs Home Mental Health Services New Life Community Salvation Army - Willson Housing Salvation Army - Pass St. Herman's House of Hospitality Stella Maris Transitional Housing, Inc. Community Women's Shelter Volunteer's of America Y-Haven - East & West West Side Catholic Center VOA - Veteran Resource Center |
319 5 6 25 28 28 3 41 4 7-8 26 9 39 42 30-32 31 8-9 About 63 25 105 10 50 |
535 9 9 35 35 28 6 56 5 families 11 50 10 65 70 30-40 42 11 105 50 123 16 50 |
|
Estimates based on 50% participation--Shelters that did not respond to repeated calls Number of Voters |
Number of people at shelter on 11/2/04 |
|
|
Zelma George Shelter Willson Tower Transitional Hitchcock Center Domestic Violence Shelter Laurels Home |
32 33 12 29 5 |
75 25 58 10 |
Total Documented Voters 1015
Copyright NEOCH, The Homeless Grapevine #68, February 2005. All Rights Reserved.