Jess increases vote by 64% Big thanks to everyone!

Hi everyone,

With the election result still hanging in the balance, we would like to say a huge thanks to everyone who helped out with the 'Jess Moore for Cunningham' campaign. With 81.6% of the vote counted, Jess has 1155 votes (1.5%). This is already a 64% increase on our 2007 election result! Our highest vote counts came from suburbs close to where Jess lives. In Coledale Jess received 3% of the vote and in Austinmer she received 2.6%. She also faired well in very working class areas, e.g. 1.7% in Bellambi. So far George Takacs from the Greens is sitting on 15% across Cunningham. A big congrats to the Greens for their campaign, especially the wonderful victory of Adam Bandt in the seat of Melbourne and Lee Rhiannon in the NSW senate!!

Jess has been a fantastic candidate and has worked extremely hard during the campaign. She was able to communicate our ideas to a very broad audience and convinced people at every step. For evidence of this check out the campaign blog which documents the campaign: http://www.jessmoorecunningham.blogspot.com/. That being said she would be the first to say this has been a team effort. Thank you so much to the 80 or so people - Socialist Alliance members, supporters, friends etc - who worked on the campaign. A special thanks to our friends in Resistance, the Greens, the UOW environment collective, Equal Love Wollongong and ex-members of the Communist Party of Australia. Whether you helped letterbox, doorknock, fold leaflets, or whatever, your help and involvement is very, very much appreciated. On election day we had 50 people staffing polling booths with others preparing yummy food and drinks for the evening party. Let's stay in touch and continue the fight for a better world. Together we are stronger, and Socialist Alliance members will struggle alongside anyone and everyone willing to combat capitalism and campaign for a safe climate and better world. That means justice for workers, Aboriginal communities, refugees and queers, and for better healthcare, education, welfare and public transport.

Thanks to Jess and thanks to everyone who helped out. Stay in touch with what we're doing by visiting http://www.socialist-alliance.org/illawarra/ If you would like to join Socialist Alliance or would like more information please call me on 0425 329 963 or email bendigo1977@yahoo.com.au.

Yours in solidarity,

Chris Williams (Will)

Convener, Illawarra Socialist Alliance