Baltimore voters organize for Ukrainian election (10/24/04)

Baltimore voters organize for Ukrainian election

by Oleh Voloshyn
Special to The Ukrainian Weekly

BALTIMORE - Registration of Ukrainian voters in the upcoming presidential election by election committee officials from the Embassy of Ukraine in the United States took place on Saturday, October 16, in Baltimore at the Selfreliance Federal Credit Union building.

In all, 95 persons have registered to vote in Baltimore in an effort to save a trip to Washington for the mandatory registration before the vote, in accordance with the recently changed election law of Ukraine.

The initiator of this unprecedented event, Xrystyna Horbachevska, persuaded the board of directors of Selfreliance Baltimore, as well as officials at the Embassy of Ukraine, to conduct the registration.

Over 170 members of the Ukrainian community in Baltimore expressed their desire to vote in Baltimore and requested that a voting station be opened here - but this number did not justify such an opening as far as the Embassy was concerned. The two parties were able to meet in the middle, when it was agreed to conduct the registration by Embassy staff in Baltimore, and that free transportation sponsored by Selfreliance would be provided to Washington on election day.

According to Ivan Korz, the credit union's president, one-third of credit union membership are new members recently arrived from Ukraine: Green Card lottery winners, religion-based immigrants, visitors, scientists and working visa holders. "We are part of Ukraine, by heart, by soul and by birth. It was right thing to do for us, because we are hoping for change, and for a better future for Ukraine," he said.

On Sunday, October 31, several buses will travel to Washington from 2345 Eastern Ave. in Baltimore for voting in the presidential election. For more information readers may call (410) 327-9841.

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