If there's anything politicians can agree on when it comes to Election Day, it's the importance of getting people to the polls in the first place.
A coalition of volunteers calling themselves, "Por Nuestras Familias, Todos a Votar" (translation: "For Our Families, Let's All Vote) gathered outside Union Station near Olvera Street Monday morning hoping to remind commuters about Tuesday's elections. Students, day laborers, clergy, teachers, janitors - they all held signs claiming the reason they vote is for their families.
"We need to put a face to the people who are affected by what our politicians do," said co-organizer Rey Barraros, "decisions made in Washington and Sacramento affect students, teachers, nurses, our families."
The coalition is culminating the outreach efforts kicked off by bus tours around the state that started in July. It's taking credit for high voter-registration this year.
"We've been trying to get Latinos especially to vote," says organizer Julia Juarez, "There are many who are new citizens or just turning 18 that don't really know what to do and we believe the numbers we've helped to register have added to that high registration number."
"Por Nuestras Familias" was formed by community, labor and religious leaders to encourage Latino civic participation and provide information and necessary tools to be fully engaged in the electoral process. The group claims to be non-partisan.
