General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWELL, TODAY IS *THE* FINAL DAY - VOTER REG, OHIO - IF YOU HAVE TIME, HIT YOUR LOCAL OFA OFFICE
Last edited Tue Oct 9, 2012, 01:46 AM - Edit history (12)
I'm sure they could use you...
Can you join in the effort to get DU boots on the ground in Ohio?
I'm in touch with some great people in the Ohio Obama campaign, who would love to have your help.
If you live in Ohio, or live in a bordering state and can work a day in Ohio, you have a unique opportunity.
Voter suppression efforts in this election cycle have severely compromised the voter registration efforts that are crucial not only to our chances in November, but also to our very democracy. The Republicans essentially have one motto for this election: "if too many people vote, we lose."
The decks are now clear for VOTER REGISTRATION to proceed unimpeded, but there are only 19 DAYS LEFT for people to register and be registered.
The deadline for voter registration in Ohio is OCTOBER 9TH.
Now, I would say that I need your help, but that's not it - WE need your help. AMERICA needs your help.
If you want to know the single greatest thing you can do that involves acting - not talking - it is to register voters during these next 19 DAYS.
The Where: Ohio
The Who: I am a former Obama fellow from the 2008 election cycle. I have been in touch with my OFA contacts from that campaign and will be coordinating with Organizing for America Ohio to help get anyone interested out to voter registration efforts in Ohio starting this weekend and continuing until October 9th.
I am very familiar with Ohio, having served as Chief Statistician for an Ohio-focused Dem think tank founded by ex-McKinsey Consulting people.
The What: REGISTER, REGISTER, REGISTER!!!! This is all about voter registration efforts. We have 19 DAYS LEFT during which to register people. The urgency could not be higher.
The How: What I need to know are the following -
1) What days can you be available, and during what hours on those days (you can update this list as your schedule becomes clearer as we move from September 21st to October 9th)
2) What city/cities would you like to travel to/can you travel to (please see the list below) (please list all cities you might consider)
I suggest signing in here in the thread to let us know you are interested (it helps to inspire each other) - or you can just DU Mail me.
Once we've established when and where you would like to go, either I can help you coordinate with voter registration drives in those cities, or if you prefer, I can help get you in touch with the campaign in that area or provide the means for you to do that on your own.
Here are the cities where there is the greatest need for voter registration efforts, in order of the raw vote margin of Obama's victory in 2008:
1. Cleveland (Cuyahoga County) (NE Ohio)
2. Columbus (Franklin County (mainly; it spreads over a few counties)) (Central Ohio)
3. Toledo (Lucas County) (NW Ohio)
4. Youngstown (Mahoning County) (NE Ohio)
5. Akron (Summit County) (NE Ohio)
6. Cincinnati (Hamilton County) (SW Ohio)
7. Lorain (Lorain County) (NE Ohio)
8. Dayton (Montgomery County) (SW Ohio)
9. Athens (Athens County) (SE Ohio)
10. Canton (Stark County) (NE Ohio)
Here is a link to a basic map of Ohio, for reference: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/maps/ohio_map.html
That's it.
This is how we fight back against voter suppression. This is how we win the election. This is how we protect the right to vote. This is a chance to materially impact this election. Please join me.
I've seen DU rise up in response to calls for action many times these last months. THIS IS AN URGENT CALL TO ACTION.
I look forward to working with you all.
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)EarlG, from what I understand, has agreed to pin this to the top -
LET'S GET INVOLVED!!!
But for now, kick.
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)this is where the rubber meets the road, folks.
We need you.
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)folks, if you're in Ohio or Florida, if you have a car or are in public transport striking distance, and if you're not allergic to people, this is how the election is won.
CaliforniaPeggy
(149,308 posts)Best of luck!
K&R
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)is make calls!
We all have to do what we can - if we do that, we're gonna win.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)nt
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)all you need to do is go to www.barackobama.com.
Step 1: Create a personal account
Step 2: Click under "Get involved"
Step 3: Select "Make Calls"
Step 4: Read the brief stuff they provide to prepare you with some sense of what the campaign is hoping to convey with these calls (although I will say that, *being sure to be mindful of regional sensibilities*, I have never found anything wrong with listening to what a voter is concerned about and sincerely stating your own personal reason as to why your candidate is the better candidate in that regard - but the preparatory materials they provide are good for supplying you with a base of information)
Step 5: Use the "Call Tool" (a program on the site) and Start making calls!
The "Call Tool" will pop up the name and number of an individual voter the campaign would like you to contact.
It's very, very straightforward and well-conceived.
But if you have any problems with any of the steps above, or any more questions, just let me know, and I will try to help.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)nt
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)jsmirman
(4,507 posts)until EarlG gets to this
we can do it
(12,118 posts)I averaged over 100 houses per day in 2008 (forgot where i was!)
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)Are you already engaged in doing that, or do you need help interfacing with the campaign?
If you're already doing it, we're very lucky to have you on the ground in Ohio!
If you need help getting going, I'm here to help.
There is nothing more important than the sustained, determined, boots on the ground effort of people like you in winning in November!
we can do it
(12,118 posts)this is another area of need
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)clowns trying to bring back Redemption Era politics (possibly the most shameful era of American History).
I'll be down in Florida it looks like to do that.
I'm also trying to organize law students across the country to defend the vote in key counties. But that's an offline effort of mine.
Good on you for doing this, as well, though.
Poll Watching is as important in this election as it has ever been in any election in recent memory.
goclark
(30,404 posts)rucky
(35,211 posts)Thanks for the post!
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)thank you so much for wanting to get involved!
Hutzpa
(11,461 posts)jsmirman
(4,507 posts)which I appreciate.
Great Caesars Ghost
(532 posts)trash the form.
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)the beauty of voter registration is that it is a non-partisan activity that only helps our side.
The more people who vote, the more we win.
I register Democrats and Republicans alike, as one should. But you know what? My ratio of Dems to Repub registrations was always at least 4:1, and usually much higher. And that involved no partisanship whatsoever on my part.
I would never say who I was working for unless asked, and then I would say, "I work for the Obama campaign, but when I'm registering voters, I'm just an American."
goclark
(30,404 posts)panader0
(25,816 posts)It's stuck on 19 days.........
liberal N proud
(60,302 posts)Making sure more are eligible to vote!
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)this upcoming weekend is possibly the biggest one of the whole election calendar - prime time for volunteering...
Springslips
(533 posts)I live in Columbus I can help oct 1 through 5 and oct 7 through 9. I can travel to wherever you need, I have a car, and would love to help if you can use me.Lets win this thing.
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)I'll be in touch by pm - thanks so much
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)the campaigns call it "the golden weekend" - the last weekend for voter reg, and the beginning of the big final push to election day - they need volunteers more for this weekend than any other one on the calendar...
CoffeeCat
(24,411 posts)We must thwart Republican efforts to disenfranchise Ohio voters!
Republicans have devoted a lot of time, money and effort on suppressing the vote in Ohio.
We have to work HARDER at being proactive, than the Republicans have worked at being devious trolls!
we can do it
(12,118 posts)Canvassing is fun and good exercise! I did 108 houses Saturday and 98 on Sunday! And had 64 contacts which I think is very good. Almost everyone was very enthusiastic about voting.
we can do it
(12,118 posts)this is vital with the election fraud the GOP is pulling.
Atticus
(15,124 posts)This past weekend, my wife and I drove over 5 hours, one way, to canvass door to door and register voters in Columbus, Ohio. We left southern Illinois at about 3:00 a.m. and made it to the Obama For America headquarters on Broad Street at about 10:00 a.m.
We canvassed until nearly six p.m. and then canvassed again Sunday afternoon before heading home.
We are both 63 and, although we were exhausted at day's end, we agree that the experience was more than worth our minor aches and pains. It was a VERY rewarding experience and made us feel actually involved in the process rather than simply arguing with the TV and hoping someone somewhere would "do something".
We "did something".
If you are within driving distance of Ohio, please consider making a commitment RIGHT NOW to "walk the walk" this next week or weekend. Even half a day would be a great help.
Go on---contact the OP and get hooked up with a place to make a difference. You'll be proud of yourself.
we can do it
(12,118 posts)Response to jsmirman (Original post)
revolution breeze This message was self-deleted by its author.
tnvoter
(257 posts)What do i need to have to establish residency
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)they should be able to help.
If you don't find your questions answered, let me know.
I suggest calling them ASAP
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)jsmirman
(4,507 posts)what will you say when we lose Ohio and lose the election by a hair's breadth, and you couldn't be bothered to register voters on Monday?
Ms. Toad
(33,915 posts)I know since I'm an observer and will be hanging at the Board of Elections most of the day on Tuesday making sure they don't close up shop at 5:00, since you are allowed to register and vote until 9 PM
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)I wrote Monday in the headline, though, because I can't help anyone any later than that to get set up for a Tuesday!
And I wish people would get out there on Columbus Day, which is a great day for volunteering.
But thanks for the message and for keeping your BoE honest!
Ms. Toad
(33,915 posts)And if you are there at opening (8 AM), at lunch, or close (9 PM) you can meet a DU-er live, and in person (doing my duty to make sure you can register and vote the same day without hassle in this Republican bastion!)
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)rbrnmw
(7,160 posts)voters phone numbers I made calls to other counties today because there were NO perry county numbers to call
jsmirman
(4,507 posts)Lancaster Office in Fairfield
Heath Office in Licking
Zanesville Office in Muskingum
Athens Office (two of them) in Athens
That's every bordering county except Morgan and Hocking.
Would you settle for being connected to one of those offices and seeing if they have any Perry numbers?
rbrnmw
(7,160 posts)We really need Perry County votes it's a poor area of Ohio that would vote largely Democratic if there were some organization here in Perry County. I think the local Democratic Party is making a big mistake by not being more accessible. If they don't show more support for top ticket races it effects their races. There are Romney/Ryan signs everywhere in Perry County I have seen 1 Obama/Biden sign. I have seen no Sherrod Brown signs but many Josh Mandel signs. I don't like it.
ETA: I lived in Columbia South Carolina for 3 Presidential Elections the Democratic Party there is spirited bunch and they fight like hell to get as many votes as they can even though conventional wisdom says it's a Red state. Ohio is important and I think by ignoring a poor county like Perry you lose votes.