PICO-UNION : Volunteers Sought in Anti-Prop. 187 Drive

Organizers of a statewide drive to mobilize voters against Proposition 187 began recruiting local precinct leaders last weekend at a community meeting sponsored by Coalition ‘94, a nonpartisan voter education and outreach effort based Downtown.

Close to 500 interested residents attended the drive’s initial meeting at La Casa, a Pico-Union rental facility, to receive phone and address lists and information packets on how to organize their neighborhood precincts.

Their job for the next few weeks will be to encourage voters in their community to vote--and especially to vote “no” on the so-called “Save Our State” initiative, which would cut off illegal aliens from publicly funded education, health and social services and make public service administrators responsible for reporting those suspected of being undocumented to immigration authorities.

Each precinct leader will be responsible for distributing voting guides, then persuading at least 50 voters in each neighborhood to vote against the initiative Nov. 8.

They will encourage voters to follow through at the polls and conduct poll checks on Election Day to make sure all have remembered to exercise their voting rights.

The recruiting drive is part of a statewide effort organized by Californians United Against Proposition 187, a political action committee composed of various multiethnic organizations from throughout California.

Coalition ’94 is the agency organizing the drive in Los Angeles.

Rafael Gonzales, organizing director for the coalition, said the group will hold training meetings for anyone who wishes to be a precinct leader in Pico-Union as well as other neighborhoods throughout the city.

Information: (213) 229-9308.