Gun Raffle Aims to Trigger Voter Turnout

Gun Raffle Aims to Trigger Voter Turnout

By Jeremy Pelofsky

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Voters in Georgia can get more than a new president when they vote on Tuesday. One lucky voter in the Atlanta area could win a 12-gauge shotgun in a raffle promoted by a group opposed to limits on gun ownership.

Voters can take the ``I Voted'' sticker they receive after casting a ballot on Election Day to two gun shops in suburban Atlanta -- American Classic Marksman in Norcross and Adventure Outdoors in Smyrna -- and fill out a raffle ticket to win a shotgun that normally sells for $1,000.

The day after the election, the entrants' tickets will be placed in a bowl and one will be selected to win a Benelli Super Black Eagle 12-gauge shotgun, said Steve Frank, president of the National Federation of Republican Assemblies, a conservative group that is sponsoring the raffle.

``The raffle's purpose is to drive voter turnout, to get people who are interested in the Second Amendment to come out to the polls,'' Frank said in an interview with Reuters.

He said his organization supports gun ownership rights and the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment. The amendment preserves the right to keep and bear arms, saying a well-regulated militia is necessary to the security of a free country.

The winner of the shotgun will have to pay about $6 in fees as well as pass federal and state background checks and comply with the necessary waiting periods, which can last up to 15 days, Frank said.

One advocate of gun control lambasted the raffle as a stunt and predicted it would backfire on their opponents.

``What we have seen in other places with these gun raffles is that it upsets everyone else and makes them more likely to support other candidates who support sensible gun laws,'' said Naomi Paiss, a spokeswoman for Handgun Control Inc.

Handgun Control has spent roughly $5 million this election season supporting efforts and candidates who advocate gun control measures.

The raffle is taking place in the Georgia's 7th Congressional District, whose congressman is Republican Rep. Bob Barr, a staunch opponent of gun control. In fact, National Rifle Association President Charlton Heston attended a rally and barbecue on Friday in the district supporting Barr's re-election bid.

The issue of gun control has not figured prominently in the presidential election pitting Republican George W. Bush (news - web sites) against Democrat Al Gore (news - web sites) despite their different stands.

-- (smoking@guns.lol), November 06, 2000

Answers

One view:

(What we have seen in other places with these gun raffles is that it upsets everyone else and makes them more likely to support other candidates who support sensible gun laws,'' said Naomi Paiss, a spokeswoman for Handgun Control Inc.)

The other view:

(``The raffle's purpose is to drive voter turnout, to get people who are interested in the Second Amendment to come out to the polls,'' Frank said in an interview with Reuters.)

IMO, it is no worse than the "gun turn-in" fiascos the gun grabbers try to pull from time to time... As a gun owner, and a firm supporter of the 2nd Amendment, I think it would be cool to have a chance to win a Benelli shotgun just because I vote for the candidate most likely to leave the 2nd Amendment alone.

(Handgun Control has spent roughly $5 million this election season supporting efforts and candidates who advocate gun control measures.)

Yeah I bet they are pissed off having to spend that much money, whereas the gun lobby spends maybe $1500 for a gun and the organizing for a raffle... (snicker)

snoozin' on the floor...

The Dog

-- The Dog (dogdesert@hotmail.com), November 06, 2000.