The Single Most Effective Thing You Can Do
I’ve been trying to find organizations where people can help have an impact on the coming elections. I volunteer with a Democratic organizing group in my state, but I am sorry to say that I don’t find a lot of easily accessible groups in other states. That doesn’t mean they aren’t there, I am just not finding them. If you find them, and send me the information at brassovariesinfo@gmail.com, I will compile it and post it for everyone to see. There is contact information for government representatives and officials at the end of this post, though.
So, in my experience (and I am told by my organizer-type friends), the most effective thing you can do if you want to help win elections is to canvass. I know a lot of people are hesitant to knock on doors, but it really is effective and it isn’t that hard. Sure, some people make it clear they don’t want to talk to you, and some people are downright rude, but most people aren’t home. 😊
Just kidding! Well, not about the fact that most people aren’t home, that is definitely true, but the fact is that the few people you do get to talk to are far more likely to turn out to vote if they’ve had an actual conversation with someone (like you) about the race and the need for voter turnout. Just asking people if they intend to vote, if they know the date of the election (or primary), and if they know where their polling place is increases the likelihood they will turn out to vote. Lots of people say they will volunteer to do anything else – stuff envelopes or address postcards! (wait, what? It’s not 1985 anymore, nobody does that!); drive people to the polls! (I’ve been volunteering to do that for ten years and have had exactly *one* person need a ride – most folks vote absentee if they have transportation issues); phone banking! (this used to be reasonably effective, before *everyone* had caller ID, now, no one answers if they don’t recognize the number, and, for bonus points, apparently if you call more than twenty people from the same number, the phone number comes up with a SPAM RISK identifier! Who answers that? You are right, my friend! NO ONE!); donate money! (Well, okay, that does help a lot. But canvass too, if you can!)
When you canvass – and I know you don’t want to, but I hope you do – you can go out with another person. This makes the time fly by, sometimes you make a new, likeminded friend (or bring one along), and feels safer and friendlier. I often canvass with a partner for a variety of reasons, the biggest one being that where I live the houses tend to be pretty far apart. Remember, they don’t send you door to door – they send you to people who have a history of voting either your party or Independent, so you may only go to a few houses on a particular road or street. And if you live in a rural or semi-rural area, it may just be easier to have one person driving the car and one knocking on the doors. If your local organizer pushes you to go out alone and you don’t want to, tell them you *won’t*. Period. You are probably already stepping outside your comfort zone knocking on doors to begin with. You can see why they would want you to go out alone, that doubles the number of doors knocked in an afternoon. But you have to be comfortable with what you’re doing, and so does your friend or canvassing partner – otherwise you won’t come back and do it again, right? Organizers are under pressure to get all the doors knocked, but if it is the difference between doing it your way and not doing it at all, I haven’t met one yet who won’t let me do it my way.
Also, most organizing groups now use apps, Minivan, for instance, that help with the recordkeeping. If you are tech savvy and cool with apps, hooray for you, you are on your way! If you are like me and own an ancient phone that will not accept one.more.app. then ask them to print out the map and list of addresses you will be knocking. They would rather not do that, but they will, if pressed. Also, bring a gallon size baggie, preferably a freezer baggie (they’re stronger) to put your “lit” (literature - the hand cards they send with you to leave on doorsteps if no one is home) into, it will keep it from sliding all over the seat of the car and falling on the floor when you drive (special thanks to my dear friend and fellow canvasser JoAnn for that spectacular idea).
Remember, you’re a volunteer. Which means *you* are in the driver’s seat, so to speak. You decide when you are available, how long you’re going to work, how many shifts you’re going to do, and whether you’re going to hand out those ridiculous voter commitment cards. You know, the ones the Party wants you to fill out where you commit to voting for certain candidates, then they mail it back to you right before the election to remind you of your commitment? I don’t know who came up with those, but I personally think they should be done away with immediately. I find them offensive. I don’t hand them out. My local organizer has just accepted the fact that I’m too stubborn to argue with and it’s better to get more doors knocked and not have the postcards than to lose a frequent volunteer. So. My point is, you can tailor your volunteering to your schedule and comfort zone. So please, volunteer.
If you are a Dem and struggling to find a way to get involved, volunteer in your area, join an organization or find a key race to get involved in or donate to, try the Swing Left website, it’s got a lot of great information. If you are a Republican, first, thank you for reading my blog. Second, I don’t have the volunteer information for you, but if you Google it, you’ll find it.
As always, inform yourself and vote!
Also, here are some handy links for contact information for the people who represent you and your interests. You would be surprised at how much it matters to politicians when they hear from their constituents, especially when they hear from a lot of people with the same concerns. So let them know your concerns!
CONTACT INFORMATION: