For discussion purposes only, from http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16790-2000Nov4.html
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
In Georgia, Election Day Will Feature Gun Raffle
Reuters
Sunday, November 5, 2000; Page A12
Voters in Georgia can get more than a new president when they vote 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 and fill out a raffle ticket to win a shotgun that 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.
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.
"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 about $5 million this election season supporting efforts and candidates who advocate gun control measures.
The raffle is taking place in Georgia's 7th Congressional District, where the congressman is Republican Robert L. Barr Jr., a staunch opponent of gun control. National Rifle Association President Charlton Heston attended a rally and barbecue Friday in the district supporting Barr's reelection bid.
© 2000 The Washington Post Company [/quote]
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
In Georgia, Election Day Will Feature Gun Raffle
Reuters
Sunday, November 5, 2000; Page A12
Voters in Georgia can get more than a new president when they vote 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 and fill out a raffle ticket to win a shotgun that 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.
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.
"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 about $5 million this election season supporting efforts and candidates who advocate gun control measures.
The raffle is taking place in Georgia's 7th Congressional District, where the congressman is Republican Robert L. Barr Jr., a staunch opponent of gun control. National Rifle Association President Charlton Heston attended a rally and barbecue Friday in the district supporting Barr's reelection bid.
© 2000 The Washington Post Company [/quote]