Asheville News

Should Greenlife allow volunteers to register people to vote?

Jason Sandford September 23, 2008

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

I’m getting bombarded with “letters to the editor” from what appears to be a very organized group upset that Greenlife Grocery here in Asheville won’t allow volunteers to register people to vote in the November elections.

Here’s a sample letter:

October 10th is the last day to register to vote in the National Election November 4th. That in mind, I was surprised and dismayed to hear that Greenlife Grocery here in Asheville has declined a request to allow volunteers to register people to vote. The surprise comes from the fact that registering people to vote is a benign, nonpartisan, and patriotic work. The dismay comes from knowing that Greenlife has been widely supported by the community for many years. My sincere hope is that Greenlife reconsiders this decision. As we all know, much is at stake in this electionand

North Carolina has a very good chance to make a difference!

What do you think? Should Greenlife allow its customers to be solicited in this way?

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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5 Comments

realityczech September 23, 2008

Ingels allows sales of Girl Scout cookies and those school chocolate bar fundraisers you also get pressured with as you enter the store.

EarthFare has pet adoptions, jewelry and flute sales, to name a few.

Greenlife tolerates the aforementioned buskers, massage therapists and other mostly enviromental issue tables– which are very much political.

So I don’t see how some good, old fashioned non-partisan voter registration should bother anyone. Except the GOP is traditionally loath to such grassroots efforts. It must be too threatening to have too many potential voters out there. But I really don’t see Republicans as the key Greenlife shopper demographic anyway.

I say let the volunteers register more people, since less than 50% of Americans take the time to vote. That’s pitiful and has got to change, especially at this critical time in our history!

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judgeyall September 23, 2008

What is really shocking is Ingles! I can’t do a voter registration (non partisan) at the most ‘American’ place in town.

I would like something to be done about that!

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arratik September 23, 2008

I got a few of those e-mails as well. I don’t know how they got my e-mail address, but they’ve been treated as what they were – spam.

I’m sure that the volunteers meant well, but did they ask permission setting up shop in their parking lot?

Maybe they’ll have better luck @ EarthFare?

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Clocky September 23, 2008

Yes, Greenlife should. Often I walk right past the voter-registration people who are parked in front of Malaprop’s and West End Bakery. They politely ask me if I am registered to vote. That’s all they do. What’s the problem with that? It does not bother me one bit.

Groups like this would not scare me away from Greenlife.

On the other hand, Greenlife does allow buskers out front, and a few of these talents have nearly cost me my sanity.

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Jeremy September 23, 2008

If it hadn’t been for these people, I wouldn’t have remembered to re-register at my new address, so I’m thankful to have seen them at Greenlife prior to the primary. However, I’ve seen these crews at some locations and events (disclaimer: I can’t remember if it was Greenlife specifically) wearing Obama buttons, so if Greenlife’s "Nay" is a result of complaints about partisanship, perhaps that’s what the grievances stem from.

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