A couple of weeks ago, I went out to an eastside neighborhood to canvass with a new friend, Pat. We were initially concerned because, what do you know, the neighbors were somewhat suspicious of two middle-aged white women with clipboards. They reacted with bemusement--and some amusement--as they contemplated the interesting situation of having two white women urging them to vote for the black candidate. It shortly became clear that the people we'd visited first had spread the word, and other people began to tell us that they were already registered to vote before we had a chance to ask! We registered lots of people and left forms for others who were not at home.
In search of a bathroom, we discovered a fish fry at a local church--fantastic! An excellent benefit from volunteering for Obama/Biden. We registered some voters there and got invited to attend the church. We also visited a barber shop, taken there by a gentleman who stopped his car to ask if we were police. When we told him what we were doing, he asked us to come into the barber shop so that he could register.
Our most touching visit, for me at least, was to an older couple who were sitting out on their porch. When we came up and explained our mission. The old man jumped excitedly from his chair to tell us that he had a picture of Barack, which he wanted to show us. He returned with an immense t-shirt, with pictures of Barack, MLK, Malcolm X and Nelson Mandela. It was on a hanger, and he explained that he hadn't worn it. He wondered if we thought he ought to wear it.
The event I chose to work at today was helping out in a Soup Kitchen. The church where the soup kitchen is held has offered their space to the Obama campaign here and so volunteers help out every second Tuesday of the month. This is the second time I volunteered for this event.
I really enjoyed this work and the people are very nice. The pastor's wife runs the soup kitchen. This time I volunteered for both shifts. Last time I only volunteered for the first shift, which involves food preparation. The second shift is serving.
I began to think that I should perhaps ask the people that came in if they were registered to vote and try to register them to vote if they weren't. I talked to the pastor's wife about this and we decided that the next time we came in would be too late, since the deadline is October 6, so we decided I would come in next week to work in the kitchen and register voters.
I have a handicapped daughter who always comes with me in helping get out the votes events. She is developmentally disabled and really enjoys asking people to register to vote and she also enjoyed working in the soup kitchen. She is very good at noticing when people miss putting in their ID or birthdate on registration forms.
She tells everyone to vote for Barack Obama.
The main thing I am passionate about doing during this 2008 election is to register new voters and make sure voters are registered at their current addresses. During previous elections I have always noticed how few people actually vote and how many people are disenfranchised from the system because they just don't vote. So for me it is very important to make sure people are registered to vote.
I enjoy registering voters, because I get to talk with a variety of people all with different ideas about our government, our presidential candidates, and voting. I get to hear the complaints of people who have never voted and are actually afraid to register for some unknown reason, or the people who just don't seem to care one way or the other.
I also meet the people like yesterday, a lady who turned out to be in her 80's standing by her car who said she hadn't voted in about 15 years, but now she was going to vote again. She registered as a Republican but said she was voting for Barack Obama because we need a change in our government.
I also get to meet the radical Republicans who seem to be losing their minds over this election. Yesterday, just as I was walking out of the Obama campaign office with my voter's registration clipboard, I saw a few people walking in front of me, and asked them if they needed to register to vote. The large graying man who was probably in his late 70's became verbally violent and yelled at me and said repeatedly "go get a real job." I finally told him I was 65 years old. I should have asked him if he had a job! He kept ranting and raving and I finally just said "well have a good day" and continued on my way.
I registered 4 new voters yesterday, which was a good record for about 2 hours work. It is not easy finding unregistered voters. You really have to ask everyone.
I register voters by walking through the downtown area and hanging around the city bus stops; and also the interstate bus stops where you can actually find local unregistered voters and voters from out of state.
I also think it is important that people know the truth about the candidates so yesterday after getting home, I wrote a letter to the editor, and an article. I am currently a freelance writer with a Bachelor's Degree and two Master's Degrees.
Just wanted to share briefly a great day of registering new voters in Salem, OR on Independence Day. Many people got together that had met the previous Saturday in homes, online or wherever to fan out in Salem, OR including events at the Riverside Park, parking lot of minor league baseball team, downtown area, etc. I myself went with a young college grad about to head off to Georgetown law to the Riverside park in the couple of hours before the fireworks. It was a great time to ask people "we are registering people to vote are you registered?" 13 people responded to me and 5 to my friend (got a little lucky with a whole family of 3 that had recently moved) that they did want to register (also got 3 registerations at the minor league ballpark parking lot). We were also able to sign up 2 more volunteers and had a great time talking with the many people gathered for the event. Including some fun discussions with people unsure about Obama that asked questions upon seeing our Obama buttons (we were very non-partisan unless asked or approached, main goal was just registering people for the 4th of July the most appropriate thing you could do). Anyway all told the gang in Salem had 85 newly registered voters by the end of the day with a few more added in after the count. It was a good day and met many good people I look forward to working with again. Hope to encourage you all to get involved in any way you can. Look what one little evening I took out of my busy schedule could do.
Fired Up, Ready to Go!!!!
Wayne
Today, I spent about an hour or so calling potential voters in Indiana. Very interesting experience.
The campaign assgned me 25 numbers and I think because my name is Pat I ended up with all men although I am a woman.
I had at least four people tell me they don't vote because it is not important. Another was in prison. Started an arguement between a man and a woman, when she discovered I was from the OBAMA campaign and she told him he could not vote for Obama and then he told me she was a repbulican. Hope she did not kick him out. He also told me he was a democrate.
I did talk to a couple nice people and even one who did not know he needed to register by tomorrow which was good I called him.
One nice guy had seen HRC when she came to town and was planning on seeing OBAMA, I think it was leaning our way because he thought they made too much money to be in touch with the common man.
I think I will call a few more people in the upcoming days, maybe Montanans. It was fun!
Spent the afternoon going door to door in Terre Haute this afternoon. Ran out of forms around 6pm, but the local office was closed, so I called it a day.
Best luck was in a low income housing project. People were full of questions. Many have no internet connection; many have no car. They had seen no one trying to register people, and most didn't know much about the process, other than "you have to go to the courthouse." This didn't stop many from being excited. Others just seemed earnest.
I was amazed by the number of people who do not and will not vote. Interestingly, they were ALL white.
If you have some time Sunday or Monday, take some registration forms to the nearest housing project. Many won't be home, and many won't answer the door, but you will be well received, and should get a number of new registrants.
Thank goodness for door knockers. My knuckles got sore.
Remember, the forms need to be to the Court House by 4pm or postmarked, if mailed, that day.
I saw a post this morning from one of my Obama friends here on the blog. She is traveling from IL to Indiana to help register voters, she's excited but a little nervous, as most of us were/ are at the beginning.
So I wrote her a message in response- and I decided to make a little blog to share my story with others through this blog.
Here it is:
Good luck and have fun!!
