
Tonight I started canvassing (along with a neighbor) to GOTV. The thought was a little overwhelming, since it's the middle of a very tough work week (plus I'm getting the children's cold, bleah). It had to be done, though; the deadline for registering new voters is Monday, October 4.
Happily, canvassing was quite a pleasant experience! Most people were reserved, even suspicious, when they answered the door, but they lit up with delight when they heard we were there on behalf of the local Dems. They said things like, "I don't usually vote, but I'm definitely voting in the next election," and "I can't wait to vote in this election, and I already know I'm voting for Kerry." These reactions, together with the fact that my canvassing partner is a registered Independent who just can't stomach the neocon Republicans anymore, helped reassure me that the polls are wrong. I have been pretty sure they were wrong (after all, these are the same polls that told us George Bush would win the popular vote in 2000), but I am even more confident now.
We handed out maps to the polling place. We handed out early voting information. We handed out the slate of endorsed candidates. We even handed out some voter registration forms. (We were supposed to get people to fill them out so we could take them with us, but most people were either taking a form for an absent member of the household or they were on their way out the door.) I will walk around over the weekend to collect the forms so I can turn them in by Monday.
I'm not sure whether I'll be able to cover the entire precinct, but my neighbor promises to help. And I'm looking forward to going out again tomorrow night. Particularly after tonight's terrific debate!
You can help get out the vote! It's not that hard, and it doesn't have to take a lot of time. Call your local Dem hq and volunteer. The election is only 32 days away. You don't really want to be sitting around on November 3, wondering if you could have made a difference, do you?
The local Democratic party will be running its first ever tv commercial soon, on MSNBC. Watch for it.










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