Sunday, October 31, 2004

GOTV Plans for Anyone

Via Zephyr Teachout at BOP News:
Here's what I'm pushing to all my lists -- personalize and send to yours. 34 hours till the polls open. - Zephyr Teachout

One last, critical plea:

This election will be won and lost in the next 2 days. So please,
peer-to-peer, friend-to-father, mother-to-mother-in-law, do whatever you
can for the future of this country – for our role in the world, for
our safety, for honesty, to end the fiscal chaos Bush has created, for
our democratic traditions.

Whatever you do, do something more than voting. Here are four options:

(1) Volunteer with a voter mobilization group. One of the best is
American Coming Together. Go to www.acthere.com to learn more. As a
volunteer, you'll have opportunities to canvass, phone bank, and pass
out literature.*

(2) Print out posters from www.udecide.org and pass them out.

(3) Take a sheet of paper and spend 20 minutes writing down names of all the people you know in swing states. Call them. Tell them to find their polling place here: www.pollingplacelocation.com.

(4) Create your own 8 hour GOTV plan for the last 48 hours.

Here's how you do it:

a. On Monday, spend two hours making plans. Call and email people you
know who might want to work with you, and sign them up for these
responsibilities for your dorm or street:
i. Literature drop captain(s) (to pass out information at doorsteps)

ii. Polling place captain(s) (to pass out information near polling places)

iii. Visibility captain(s) (to put up signs)
b. On Tuesday, meet first thing (in person or on the phone) with all the people who have agreed to help
i. 8 A.M. Literature drop. Go to every dorm room and house where yourfriends live and drop off a reminder to vote for change, with accurate polling location info and a partisan candidate comparison. Include a map with written directions on the back. Use posters at www.udecide.com. The literature drop captain will be responsible for making copies and getting others to help distribute.

ii. 10 AM – 11 AM Call 10 people you know to remind them to vote.

iii. 12 PM Email everyone you know (text message and IM are good, too!). Include a reminder to vote, where to vote, and who to contact in case of a problem: 1-866-OUR-VOTE.

iv. Throughout the Day. Find people willing to stand near the polls and pass out literature. More is always better, so don't worry if others are there too – you can coordinate when you meet them!

v. Throughout the Day. Find people willing to poster signs about where the polls are, when and where and why they should vote.

*If are having trouble finding an organization in your area, leave a comment that includes your location, and I will help you find one.