About 100 union plumbers from a Boston-based local plan to knock on union members’ doors Saturday in Portsmouth, N.H., and “Joe the Plumber” is certain to be a topic of conversation, said Kevin L. Cotter, business manager of Local 12 Plumbers and Gasfitters union.

The group will be urging union members to vote for Obama and Democratic US Senate candidate Jeanne Shaheen, who is challenging John Sununu, the Republican incumbent.

“He’s impersonating a plumber,” Cotter said, referring to Joe Wurzelbacher, the Ohio man who confronted Obama about his tax plans and who became a media celebrity after John McCain repeatedly referred to him during the presidential debate Wednesday night.

Wurzelbacher, however, has paid a price for his moments of fame; news media reports have said he does not hold a plumber’s license, has been hit with a tax lien, and would probably qualify for a tax cut under Obama’s campaign proposal.

“We will definitely be talking about ‘Joe the Plumber,’ ” said Cotter, whose international union was the first to endorse Obama during his run for the Democratic nomination.

The union’s local in Wurzelbacher’s neck of the woods plans an event Sunday, timed with McCain’s visit to Toledo, to disavow Joe the plumber, too. “Actual plumbers will share their concerns with several of Senator McCain’s proposals including his plan to tax employer-based health care insurance, his tax proposal which favors the wealthy over working Ohioans and other issues that will impact working families,” the local said.

The rally will take place at:

New Town at St. Charles

3312 Rue Royale

St. Charles, MO 63301

Doors will open for the event at 7 a.m. The pre-program will begin at 9 a.m.

Tickets are required for the event. For more information, individuals can call 314.667.4728 or visit the Missouri page at www.johnmccain.com

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18
CHANGE WE NEED RALLY WITH BARACK OBAMA
Under the Gateway Arch at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
Memorial Dr and Market St, St. Louis
Gates Open: 10:15 AM
Program Begins: 12:00 PM

The event is free and open to the public. Tickets are NOT required, but an RSVP is strongly encouraged. Members of the public are invited to RSVP at www.barackobama.com. Rain or shine.

***For security reasons do not bring bags or umbrellas. Please limit personal items. No signs or banners allowed.***

From the Election Board:

Numerous voters in the City of St. Louis have received by mail this week an unsolicited absentee ballot application in an envelope that contains the return address of the “St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners,” but which was NOT sent by the City Election Board. Inside the envelope is a “tear off” absentee ballot application, the top of which contains an endorsement of Jay Nixon and the symbol of the Democratic Party. Although a disclaimer appears in much smaller type that the mailing was paid for by the Democratic Campaign Committee of St. Louis City, the unmistakable impression is that the absentee ballot application came from the St. Louis City Election Board and that the Election Board is endorsing Jay Nixon. Understandably, the Election Board is receiving numerous inquiries from confused and angry voters demanding to know why they received such a mailing and why the Election Board is endorsing the Democratic Party candidate for Governor.

Voters in the City of St. Louis should be assured that this mailing did NOT come from the Election Board and the Election Board does NOT endorse any candidate for any office. Nor does the Election Board mail to any voter an unsolicited absentee ballot application. Applications are only mailed to those voters who request them.

If any voter requested an absentee ballot from the Election Board and is unsure as to the status of their application, they should contact the Absentee Department at 314-622-3230 or 314-622-3319. If they have already returned their ballot, they can disregard any unsolicited application they might receive in the mail.

Brian Wahby, the chairman of the St. Louis Democrats, tells the Post-Dispatch “the source of confusion is due to a printing error that occurred at the mail house.”