King's widow pushes for voter registration

CLEVELAND,OHIO - The widow of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. called on blacks to register to vote this fall, saying that control of Congress hinges on their turnout. <br> <br> Coretta Scott King on Tuesday asked black organizations to make voter registration a priority in hopes of increasing the number of voters registered by 20 percent. <br> <br> ``If we don&#39;t turn it out on Nov. 5, the whole country will suffer and we will reap the worst of it,&#39;&#39; King told about 600 people during a luncheon at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference&#39;s annual convention. <br> <br> She expressed disappointment over what she described as a shortage of black officeholders in the United States, particularly females, before an audience that included Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Ohio, who represents the Cleveland area in Congress. <br> <br> ``I know it&#39;s getting awfully lonely up there, sister Tubbs Jones,&#39;&#39; she said drawing laughter and cheers. Tubbs Jones is one of 14 black women in the 435-member House. <br> <br> King said gaining more political power is essential to eliminating racial disparities in health care, education and housing. <br> <br> She also said voting privileges should be restored for former offenders who have been released from prison. <br> <br> Voter registration has been one of the dominant themes of the SCLC convention. <br> <br> King&#39;s son, Martin Luther King III, who has been president of the SCLC since 1998, urged registration of more black voters, beginning with 18-year-olds, during a speech Sunday at the Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church. <br> <br> His father spoke from the same church podium nearly 40 years ago on the same subject. <br> <br> Mrs. King on Tuesday encouraged voters to choose candidates who will invest in families and children. <br> <br> ``When it comes to military spending or tax cuts for the wealthy, our government always seems to have a blank check ready,&#39;&#39; she said. ``But somehow there is never enough to invest in improving the health, education and well-being of our children.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> She also urged debt relief for Africa, criminal justice reform for juveniles and gun control. <br> <br> ``We&#39;ve got just four months to organize a massive turnout in the November elections. It would be difficult to overestimate the importance of this election for African-Americans,&#39;&#39; she said.