DISCLAIMER:  The press release titled, "Sierra Club, SEIU Launch Joint
Voter Turnout Push," is to be used only for
charitable and public education purposes as it was created using 501(c)(3)
funds.  Please feel free to send that release to other reporters,
colleagues and interested parties, but further distribution of that release
must also be for charitable purposes, not for legislative lobbying or
electoral politics.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 23, 2002

CONTACT:
Allen Mattison, 202-675-7903

SIERRA CLUB AND SEIU EDUCATION AND SUPPORT FUND ENCOURAGE NEIGHBORHOODS TO
                           "VOTE FOR CHILDREN"

     New Alliance Connects Students, Parents, and
              Communities to Get Out the Vote on November 5


WASHINGTON, DC: This fall, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
Education and Support Fund and the Sierra Club have joined forces to create
"Vote for Children".  The new, non-partisan initiative is working in 13
cities across the country to directly involve kids in the political process
while mobilizing communities with low voter turnout to increase voter
participation.

"The labor and environmental movements have long been committed to getting
people engaged in making their families and communities safe and healthy,"
said Carl Pope, Executive Director of the Sierra Club.  "Sierra Club is
proud to join SEIU in this great partnership to make that shared vision a
reality."

Vote for Children begins with schools, where students are learning about
the importance of voting through candidate debates, mock elections, and
essay contests.  Outside of school, students, parents, and other members of
the community are reaching out to neighbors with a series of community
activities to urge them to vote.  If Vote for Children succeeds in
increasing voter turnout, their schools will receive a Sierra Club grant to
pay for field trips and other educational outdoor activities.

"The efforts of these students will have an impact come Election Day," said
Andrew L. Stern, President of SEIU.  "Distressingly, voter turnout for this
election is projected to be quite low.  Any new voters in a given contest
could tip the election one way or another.  One of the great stories in the
final few days will be how turnout may effect some of the tight, critical
races around the country.  Vote for Children will be a big part of that
story."

More importantly, Vote for Children hopes to counter the trend of sagging
voter turnout by engaging voters not just for the 2002 cycle, but
permanently.  By instilling the value of civic participation in students,
parents, teachers and school administrators, Vote for Children is building
a new culture of good voting habits in neighborhoods where less than 40
percent of voters typically vote.

With less than two weeks before Election Day, the get out the vote efforts
are far from over.  Students and parent organizers are working hard to
remind voters in their neighborhoods to get to the polls on November 5.
Their campaigns will culminate three days before the November 5 election as
the students lead their parents and teachers on a final "Walk for Kids"
canvassing event.

Vote for Children is working to increase voter turnout in Atlanta,
Minneapolis-St.Paul, Oakland, Milwaukee, Chicago, Newark, Denver, Portland,
OR, Baltimore and Prince Georges County, MD, St. Louis, St. Petersburg, and
Los Angeles.  For more information on these sites or Vote for Children,
please contact Jason Dring or John Carey at 202-518-8047.

 ###


Erin E. Jordahl
Director, Iowa Chapter Sierra Club
3839 Merle Hay Road, Suite 280
Des Moines, IA 50310
515-277-8868
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