In WA, illegal immigrants canvassing for democrat votes

Illegal immigrant, volunteers with the organization as it tries to steer immigrant voters toward Democratic candidates

In this photograph taken Sunday, Oct. 16, 2010, Maria Gianni, right, embraces community organizer Elsa Batris-Boni at a phone bank in Seattle being used by One America Votes, an organization that has launched a vote drive to get naturalized citizen voters to vote Democrat. Gianni is one of several illegal immigrants who are volunteering in the vote drive. (AP Photo/Manuel Valdes) (Manuel Valdes - AP)

In this photograph taken Sunday, Oct. 16, 2010, Maria Gianni poses for a portrait at a phone bank in Seattle being used by OneAmerica Votes, an organization that has launched a vote drive targeting naturalized citizen voters. Gianni, an illegal immigrant, volunteers with the organization as it tries to steer immigrant voters toward Democratic candidates. (AP Photo/Manuel Valdes) (Manuel Valdes - AP)

By MANUEL VALDES

The Associated Press
Friday, October 22, 2010; 5:01 AM

SEATTLE -- When Maria Gianni is knocking on voters' doors, she's not bashful about telling people she is in the country illegally. She knows it's a risk to advertise to strangers that she's here illegally - but one worth taking in what she sees as a crucial election.

The 42-year-old is one of dozens of volunteers - many of them illegal immigrants - canvassing neighborhoods in the Seattle area trying to get naturalized citizens to cast a ballot for candidates like Democratic Sen. Patty Murray, who is in a neck-to-neck race with Republican Dino Rossi