WASHINGTON, D.C.- According to a slew of recent surveys, new voter registrations are way up in 2004, but for some concerned citizens this alone will not be enough to ensure suffrage for all Americans. To this end, thousands of Republican volunteers have taken time from their hectic campaign schedules to help push the get-out-the-vote efforts even further in the weeks leading up to the general election in November.

To the surprise of many Democrats, these good Samaritans of the GOP have been coming the streets of America's inner cities looking for ways to help. In Detroit, for example, helpers handed out thousands of voter registration forms allowing folks to fill out as many as they liked, and in Chicago a pro-business think tank has sponsored an extensive billboard campaign on the city's south side to encourage citizens to register and vote on November 3rd.

Of course, like any large-scale volunteer effort, there have been some snags along the way. Maps of polling places handed out in downtown Columbus, Ohio contained no fewer than 120 errors, and there has been considerable debate as to what day the the second Tuesday in November happens to fall this year.

When reporters brought these issues to the GOP's attention, they received an immediate response. "Oh, really?" gasped the effort's unofficial organizer Keith Rove, cousin of White House senior adviser Karl Rove. "Wow, that's really unfortunate. We'll get on fixing that right away."

The party has undergone something of a turnaround of late, beginning last month when members helped get left-wing candidate Ralph Nader on the ballot in several states just to give voters more choices.

"You have to hand it to them," said Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe. "Like a lot of Democrats, I always assumed that our opponents wanted a lower turnout, but to see these people working so hard, and in Democratic districts no less, really gives me faith that the two-party system works."

At a recent press conference, GOP Chair Ed Gillespie praised the grass-roots effort for its willingness to ensure that the voices of the people are heard and, in some cases, counted.

"This program is very important to us because we believe that a strong voter turnout, especially in urban areas, benefits Republicans and Democracy in general," said Gillespie. "People forget that a lot of minority families also have loved ones serving in Iraq, and I think they understand and appreciate what our party has done for them over there."

The group has come to call itself the Plumbers because they say it is their goal to "fix" the election, presumably before it has a chance to break. Regardless of what they are called, the effect of this band of patriots can be felt around the nation, in cities large and small.

As a public service, helpers in Florida have been tossing out thousands of absentee ballots and registrations in advance of the election to avoid the last-minute confusion and disappointment that marred the 2000 affair. In New Mexico, these civic-minded Republicans even offered to carry the ballot boxes to the central counting facility but were declined due to outmoded FEC regulations.

Also, in several urban areas workers have been going door to door instilling a sense of civic duty in everyone they meet.

"Voting is really important," said one volunteer. "You should really do that- or not. It's up to you, of course. I mean, you're vote is a really vital drop in the national bucket- if it even gets to the bucket at all. If you vote against your state's majority you might have well have not voted. I hear it's supposed to rain like gangbusters that day, too. Bummer for Democracy. Anyway, have a nice day!"

According to Gillespie, the grass-roots effort is intended to heal some of the wounds incurred during the last election, to ensure that this year's election is not as contentious, or as close, as the last time around.

"Bottom line, we don't want another situation like we had in Florida in 2000," said Gillespie. "If our volunteer efforts pay off, though, there won't be much to worry about."