Organizing for America-Hawaii volunteers were very excited to hear that the House passed H.R. 3962. They expressed their sincerest gratitude to both Congressman Neil Abercrombie and Congresswoman Hirono. Organizing for America-Hawaii focused on calling constituents in Oregon and Pennsylvania.
That experience was gratifying for our college intern Anna G. Anna G. will graduate next month and admitted that she never really understood the importance of health insurance until she worked with OFA-HI. “This whole experience brought a new sense of reality since I will be graduating next month and will possibly be without health insurance. Calling voters in Oregon and hearing their stories about why they support health care reform was very enlightening and reaffirmed my commitment to volunteering with OFA-HI.”
Patrick D. spoke to a volunteer in the office and he wanted to say thank-you to our congressional representatives. “As a person with a disability, I am hopeful that we will get health care reform passed. And I am thankful to Congressman Abercrombie and Hirono in ensuring that health care reform gets passed.”
Today David Plouffe sent out the following message to supporters, inviting them to attend one the many grassroots house meetings taking place throughout the country later this month:
Exactly one month ago, you made history by giving all Americans a real opportunity for change. Now it's time to start preparing and working for change in our communities. On December 13th and 14th, supporters are coming together in every part of the country to reflect on what we've accomplished and plan the future of this movement. Your ideas and feedback will be collected and used to guide this movement in the months and years ahead. Join your friends and neighbors -- sign up to host or attend a Change is Coming house meeting near you. Since the election, the challenges we face -- and our responsibility to take action -- have only gotten more urgent. You can connect with fellow supporters, make progress on the issues you care about, and help shape the future of your community and our country. Learn what you can do now to support President-elect Obama's agenda for change and continue to make a difference in your community. Take the first important step by hosting or attending a Change is Coming house meeting. Sign up right now. To get our country back on track, it will take all of us working together. Barack and Joe have a clear agenda and an unprecedented opportunity for change. But they can't do it alone. Will you join us at a house meeting and help plan the next steps for this movement? Thanks, David David Plouffe Campaign Manager Obama for America
"I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you." - Barack Obama, Election Night 2008
Read the full speech, as prepared for delivery . . .
Right now, while volunteers work to Get Out The Vote in key states, thousands of grassroots supporters across the country are helping out from home by using our online voter contact tools to call voters.
Our target today is to make 1,000,000 calls to voters in battleground states before the close of polls tonight. As of 1:00 PM Eastern, we've made 214,187 calls. However, our staff on the ground are telling us that we need to reach the 500,000 call mark by 3:00 PM Eastern Time.
These calls provide our supporters with information about when, where and how to vote today, and by helping identify which voters have already cast a ballot, we can dramatically reduce the number of houses our volunteers on the ground need to reach before polls close.
If you have even thirty minutes to spare in the next three hours, when can use your help. Simply select the state you want to call from the map below, and we'll provide you with an easy to use script and a targeted list of voters to call.
The largest voter contact operation ever attempted is underway right now. This is your chance to be part of it.
In Hawwaii, polls are open today from 7:00 AM until 6:00 PM local time. Anyone who is in line by 6:00 PM will be allowed to vote. You can find your polling location now.
For additional information or for any issues you may have with voting visit our Voter Information Center or call 1-877-US-4-OBAMA (877-874-6226). Answers to some of the most common voting questions are below:
A picture ID is needed for verification of your identity at the polls. You will be asked to sign a poll book to record that you voted at that polling place. Your voter registration notice is not an acceptable form of identification.
7:00 am–6:00 pm
Any voter who requires assistance to vote may be given assistance by a person of the voter’s choice, as long as the person who is helping is not the voter’s employer, an agent of the employer, or an agent of the voter’s union.
All polling place workers are trained in communicating with and assisting people who are blind and visually impaired, deaf and hard of hearing, and people with mobility, emotional and intellectual impairments. All polling places will have a Voter Assistance Official where voters can request special assistance. Voters at the polling places may request assistance in having information and the ballot read to them. Workers at all polling places are trained to assist voters who are blind to sign the poll book using a signature guide. Voters who are blind or have low vision will be offered assistance in getting around inside the polling place. People with mobility impairments will be offered to be taken to the head of long voter lines. Some of the polling places will have workers skilled in American Sign Language to serve as interpreters for voters who are deaf.
We've reached the most important days of this entire campaign.
All of the voters we've registered, phone calls we've made, doors we've knocked on, friends and neighbors we spread the word to over the course of this campaign have brought us to where we are today: making Barack Obama very compettive in the race for the presidency of the United States.
Now we have to make sure all of that time and effort doesn't go to waste. It's time to once again take change into our own hands and get out the vote (GOTV).
As Barack explained in Nevada this morning:
Don’t believe for a second this election is over. Don’t think for a minute that power concedes. We have to work like our future depends on it in these last few days, because it does.
Join millions of Americans all over the country by volunteering in the last four days of this campaign. Everything we have worked for over the past 20 months will come down to what we do -- or don't do -- to help get out the vote.
Miss Laura from the DailyKos offered these words of wisdom from a veteran volunteer:
Before you hit your first door, or dial your first number...think about why you're doing it. Maybe it's your loved one in Iraq. Maybe it's wanting a Supreme Court that will preserve your right to control your own body. Maybe it's the healthcare you need and can't afford. Take a piece of paper and a pen and write your reason down. Keep it in your pocket, and if you have a hard conversation or string of them, take that piece of paper out of your pocket and read it. Remind yourself that this is not an empty chore, it's a way to something really, really important. Carry that knowledge with you to each door or each dial.
Before you hit your first door, or dial your first number...think about why you're doing it. Maybe it's your loved one in Iraq. Maybe it's wanting a Supreme Court that will preserve your right to control your own body. Maybe it's the healthcare you need and can't afford.
Take a piece of paper and a pen and write your reason down. Keep it in your pocket, and if you have a hard conversation or string of them, take that piece of paper out of your pocket and read it. Remind yourself that this is not an empty chore, it's a way to something really, really important. Carry that knowledge with you to each door or each dial.
So what can you do? Find a volunteer event near you and sign up to help between now and Election Day.
Early Vote in Hawaii ends on Saturday, November 1st.
NBC's KHNL-TV affiliate in Honolulu reports:
A steady flow of early voters packed Honolulu Hale midday Tuesday. Among them, Renata Norris of Mililani. "I think it actually is important because then you can go when you can go and you can make sure you get there as opposed to voting on Election Day," she said. "Smething might come up, your car might break down, you don't know what's going to happen. You might not make it to the polling place."
A steady flow of early voters packed Honolulu Hale midday Tuesday. Among them, Renata Norris of Mililani.
"I think it actually is important because then you can go when you can go and you can make sure you get there as opposed to voting on Election Day," she said. "Smething might come up, your car might break down, you don't know what's going to happen. You might not make it to the polling place."
Are you one of the many that took advantage of early voting? Well if not, you can still vote early on the last day, Saturday, November 1st.
In the final days of this historic campaign, the Hawaii Call Team has set a new goal of making 3,000 calls into battleground states between now and election day to help get out the vote (GOTV).
If you haven't started making calls yet, it's not too late. It only takes a minute to find a phonebanking event near you or to get started calling from home. You'll be provided with lists of targeted voters and a call script.
We only have a few days left to contact millions of voters. We've been gearing up for this moment for a long time, and now it's here. What we do in these next few days will make the difference.
If you live in a non-battleground state you can play an important role in deciding this election in key battleground states. Especially tonight.
The campaign will be airing a 30-minute special tonight called Barack Obama: American Promises from 8-8:30pm EDT.
Tonight supporters are gathering at Last Call for Change phonebanks across the country, calling voters in swing states to tell them where their polling location is.
There are only 6 days left to bring the change we need.
Barack is counting on your incredibly important phone calls. You can make sure Obama supporters know where to vote on Tuesday. Their polling location may have changed, or they may have never voted before.
No experience is required. You'll have a script to work from, and our staff will help you every step of the way.
The Hawaii Call Team has set a goal of making 3,000 calls into Nevada and Colorado this week between October 24th and October 31st. As of today at 2:00 PM Hawaii Time, nearly 1,850 calls have been logged, putting us on course to meet and possibly beat the original target.
The most important thing to focus on now is the task at hand and make sure we we give all we can to get this campaign to finish line.
If you haven't started yet, it's not too late. The Neighbor to Neighbor phonebanking tool allows anyone to get involved without any previous experience. It just takes a few minutes to set up and get started calling. You'll be provided with lists of voters and a call script. Watch this instructional video on how to use the make calls from home, or you can join an organized event and enjoy the company of other supporters.
You can also Host a Last Call for Change house party this Wednesday, October 29. Invite everyone you know to watch Barack's 30-minute presentation and make important phone calls to voters in key battleground states. Click here for more details.
The Hawaii Call Team has set a goal of making 3,000 calls into Colorad and Nevada this week between October 24th and the 31st, and tonight we have a progress report. As of this writing on October 25 at 3:30 PM Hawaii time, 722 calls have been logged, putting us well on course to shatter the target. Altogether over 14,600 calls have been made by this team of dedicated grassroots supporters from every corner of the state.
The most important thing to remember now is to not let-up. The past 20 months of hard work by millions of Americans comes down to these last few crucial days. The goal is 3,000 calls, and Hawaii should strive to shatter that goal to show that this election is too important to leave to chance.
You can also Host a Last Call for Change house party next Wednesday, October 29. Invite everyone you know to watch Barack's 30-minute presentation and make important phone calls to voters in key battleground states. Click here for more details.
This Saturday, October 25th, please join Obama staff and volunteers at a phonebank in Wailuku where we'll call voters in crucial battleground states. Here are the details:
Wailuku Phonebank Maui Democratic Party Headquarters 2020 Main Street Wailuku, HISaturday, October 25th 11:00 a.m. onwardShifts begin at 12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.
Andy Winer, the Obama for America Hawaii State Director sent out this email today:
From today until the end of the month, every day is Election Day in Hawaii. Early voting is fast, easy, and it could make the difference. Show your friends and family that you've made up your mind and you're ready for change now. Take the first step today. Find your Early Vote location. Early voting is simple, safe, and convenient. It's also a vital part of our strategy. The more supporters who make their voices heard now, the more energy and resources we can devote to our get out the vote efforts closer to Election Day. Vote early today and see if you can get five or more friends to vote early with you. All across the country, supporters like you are working together to grow this movement for change. We know that Hawaii families can't afford four more years of failed Bush-McCain policies. That's why we need you to help make sure we have an advantage in Hawaii before Election Day. Take a moment now to fill out some basic information and make your voice heard. This is our chance to take America in a new direction -- so the next four years don't look like the last eight. We can't do this without you. Thanks, Andy Andy Winer Hawaii State Director Obama for America
In Hawaii, early voting is underway now and continues to November 1st.
ABC News KITV, in Honolulu reports on the opening day of early voting:
As early voting begins for the general election, state elections officials said they need help for what is expected to be a big turnout on Nov. 4.Workers put the finishing touches on voting booths set up at City Hall on Monday. Workers received instructions and walked through the process on how to get the voters in and out.The city clerk's office handles the early absentee walk-in voting, which begins Tuesday. The state Office of Elections is in charge of the general election.
As early voting begins for the general election, state elections officials said they need help for what is expected to be a big turnout on Nov. 4.
The Maui News reports on the Hawaii vote:
The county's voter registration for next month's general election represents a 5.7 percent increase over the 80,638 registered for the same election in 2006.
The final presidential debate is this Wednesday, October 15th, at 9:00 p.m. Eastern. It's the last chance for undecided voters to see Barack and John McCain side-by-side and determine who will bring the change this country needs. And it will be the final time before election night to come together in this way with your friends, family, and fellow supporters. Make the most of this opportunity by signing up to host a Debate Watch Party -- or attend one near you.If you've joined us for an event before, you know how powerful they can be to help build support and grow our movement. If you haven't, it's a terrific way to connect with fellow supporters and folks who may just be making up their minds. If you can host an event, we'll make sure you have everything you need to make it a success. We're having a special conference call for Debate Watch Party hosts on Tuesday, when we'll give you ideas for how to get your guests involved in the rest of the campaign. In these final weeks, each of us needs to do whatever we can to keep strengthening this campaign and encourage undecided voters to cast their votes for change. Sign up to host or attend a Debate Watch Party now. Thanks, Jon Jon Carson National Field Director Obama for America
This Monday, October 13th, at 6:30pm HST, Hawaii supporters are encouraged to join an official conference call with campaign staffers to learn more about Neighbor to Neighbor and how they can make a huge impact for Barack in this historic election.
In addition to learning the basics of Neighbor to Neighbor, you wil hear from special guests talking about our ground game in the battleground states you'll be calling into.We'll be doing a conference call and a webinar (an online seminar), so you can follow along with the training on your own computer and ask questions. Don't worry though if you're not able to join the webinar - you can still listen in on the conference call!Here are the details:
Phone Number:703-259-9001
Access Code: 686-429-128If you can join us for the webinar, RSVP now:http://my.barackobama.com/webinar10I hope you can join us!
If you can't make this special conference call, learn more about Neighbor to Neighbor by watching these training videos. Then, make sure you are signed up so you can start making calls as soon as possible. Every call plays a part in this campaign and puts us one step closer to our goal in November.
Tuesday night, the Maui Democratic Party hosted a debate watch party at their headquarters. Maui honorary Obama chair State Sen. Roz Baker and Hawaii Congresswoman Mazie Hirono address the attendees after the debate ended.
There are many ways Obama supporters in Hawaii can help Barack cross the finish line to victory. Our Neighbor to Neighbor tool makes it easy to call battleground states to persuade voters to support Barack. Of course fundraising is crucial as well, and the My.BarackObama.com event tools and online host guide make it is as easy as can be.
In Hawaii, Early Voting will run from October 21st - November 1st. Make sure that you have your say in this historic election.
This Sunday, October 5th, join the Obama campaign for a rally on the Big Island. Come meet fellow Obama supporters and staff, and help Barack bring the change this country needs. Here are the details: Rally for Victory Old Kona Airport Park Pavilion At the End of Highway 11 Kailua Kona, HISunday, October 5th 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.http://hi.barackobama.com/KailuaRally
The last day to register to vote in Hawaii is next Monday, October 6th. Are you registered? Are your friends and family? If you only forward one email to your friends, family, and neighbors today -- make it this one. Each and every vote in Hawaii is absolutely crucial to victory on Election Day. Visit VoteForChange.com, our one-stop voter registration website, and register before the Hawaii deadline. Supporters like you have built the biggest grassroots movement in the history of American politics. But in just 8 days, the time for bringing new voices into the political process will be over. You need to be certain that you, your friends, and your family are registered by the deadline -- it's a small step that will have a huge impact on our Election Day results. This election is too important to leave anything to chance. Make sure your voice is heard. Thanks, Barack
