Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW, Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: anca@anca.org
Internet:

PRESS RELEASE
October 6, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA “HYE VOTER TURNOUT” CAMPAIGN IN FULL SWING

— Record Armenian American Turnout
Expected on November 2nd

WASHINGTON, DC – With only a few weeks left to the November 2nd
Presidential and Congressional elections, Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA) chapters have teamed up with activists
across the country, as part of the ANCA’s “Hye Voter Turnout”
campaign, to make their last push to ensure record levels of
Armenian American participation in the electoral process.

Over the past several months, local ANCA chapters have been working
within their communities to raise awareness about federal, state
and local candidates and the issues facing the Armenian American
community. A powerful tool in this effort has been the ANCA
Candidate Questionnaire, available on the ANCA website, which has
provided candidates from across the nation with the opportunity to
speak directly to their Armenian American constituents. The ANCA
Congressional Candidate Questionnaire includes nine different
questions on the topics of the Armenian Genocide; U.S. support for
Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh; U.S.-Armenia economic relations;
Self-determination for Nagorno Karabagh; Conditions on U.S. aid to
Azerbaijan; the Turkish blockade of Armenia, and; the U.S. subsidy
of the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline bypass of Armenia. For an Adobe PDF
version of the ANCA Questionnaire, visit:

The ANCA has also teamed up with local Armenian Youth Federation
chapters in national voter registration efforts, working to
increase the Armenian American voice at the ballot box. Activists
have set up registration tables at local churches, community
centers and even local business establishments, providing the forms
and information needed to register. These efforts have made it
easy for young people to register through the ANCA voter
registration website and “Rock the Vote,” MTV’s youth voter
education program.

At the national level, the ANCA has endorsed Senator John Kerry as
clearly the better candidate on issues facing the Armenian American
community. At the same time, the ANCA – locally and nationally –
continues to highlight the powerful leadership demonstrated by a
great many Congressional Republicans on Armenian issues, notably by
Armenian Caucus Co- Chairman Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), Genocide
Resolution author George Radanovich (R-CA), and Senators such as
Mitch McConnell (R-KY), John Ensign (R-NV), George Allen (R-VA),
Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), and many others.

Working with local chapters or Armenians for Kerry, the ANCA has
spent the past several months raising awareness of Senator Kerry’s
20-year record of supporting Armenian American concerns – on issues
ranging from recognition of the Armenian Genocide and self-
determination for Nagorno Karabagh, to increased aid, expanded
trade, and an end to the blockades of Armenia. The ANCA
endorsement of Senator Kerry includes a full review of the
Senator’s record as well as a listing of the many areas in which
President has disappointed the Armenian American community. This
text can be found at:
;pressregion=anca

The ANCA’s “Hye Voter Turnout” four-part strategy in support of the
Kerry-Edwards ticket was formally launched on August 28th, with the
Armenstock 2004 / Kef for Kerry event in Massachusetts
(). This major day-long music festival featured
leading Armenian musicians and speeches by Armenian activists and
elected officials, including Congressmen Barney Frank (D-MA) and
James McGovern (D-MA), as well as State Representatives Peter
Koutoujian and Rachel Kaprielian. Additional get-out-the-Armenian-
vote concerts are planned as part of the Kef for Kerry Tour of
Battleground States. The tour includes stops in the key swing
states of Wisconsin – October 8th, Michigan – October 23rd, Florida
– October 24th, and, Pennsylvania – October 29th. For additional
information, visit:

The second element of the ANCA plan was the “Friends for Kerry
Postcard Campaign,” which debuted at Armenstock. This campaign
circulated tens of thousands of pre-addressed postcards which were
sent by Armenians in solidly pro-Kerry states like New York and
California to fellow Armenians in twelve swing states: Arizona,
Arkansas, Florida, Ohio, New Hampshire, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada,
Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. The
postcard urges voters to “compare the records of Senator Kerry and
President Bush on Armenian issues, to weight the importance of your
ballot for the future of US-Armenian relations, and the please
consider casting your vote for the Kerry-Edwards ticket on November
2nd.”

The third part of the ANCA plan is a series of “Calling for Kerry”
weekends on October 9-10 and October 30-31. Building on the
postcard campaign, local activists are teaming up with Armenian
Youth Federation and Armenians for Kerry chapters in hosting
gatherings and “cell phone parties” to reach out to thousand of
Armenian American households in sixteen swing states. In addition
to supporting the Kerry-Edwards ticket, activists will highlight
the need for strong turnout for friends of Armenia in Congress,
both Democratic and Republican. The fourth and final part of the
ANCA effort is a grassroots “Canvassing for Kerry” program that
will go door-to-door to getting out the vote for John Kerry and
other friends of Armenia on Election Day.