Got an email from commentor Bill D:
With 3 weeks to go until the election I’m wondering if Balloon Juice might put up a link to phone banking sites for GOTV. I’ve broke, but do have some time to help elect candidates and a cell phone. I expect I’ll make over 100 calls over the next 3 weeks, roughly 25 for Alan Grayson, 25 for Russ Feingold, 15 for Raul Grijalva, and 35 for Prop 19.
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http://calloutthevote.com/ is one such site. (I’m using it for the House and Senate candidates, will be using Justsaynow for Prop 19).
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it would be cool to get a couple hundred people making calls via a referral ad from Balloon Juice.
I am a tech-idiot, but I signed up on the Call Out the Vote website, and will dutifully log in Thursday evening for my first shift. Anybody with more experience want to recommend other options, or give advice?
Martin
OFA has a very nice phonebanking app. By default it ties to your location, so gets you calling in your district, but I think you can specify a zip code to get other regions.
Martin
CA governors debate on NBC. I love Brown. He’s not the greatest, but fuck I wish more Democrats could speak and fill a room like he does. Nothing wishy-washy about him. So far he’s managed to keep the swearing to a minimum (sadly).
Martin
Oh! and OFA used to have an AWESOME phonebank/canvass iPhone app. I just got my wife an iPhone 4, I should check it out again. It was great in 2008 because the free long-distance allowed me to freely phone bank anywhere. I’ll download it later tonight when she gets home.
wonkie
I’ll be phonebanking the old fashioned way from Dem headquarters, phoning fro Patty Murray.
Ben
If you have an iphone, definitely download the OFA iphone app (more info here), which has a built in canvassing function, w/ embedded maps and data entry.
You can also use the new OFA call tool, which geolocates off ip address to start with but allows you to customize wherever you want to call. https://call.barackobama.com/
metalgirl
FYI, it’s critically important to get our Dem voters to the poles. If your state has early voting, the way to win is to get them to vote early so your local Dem volunteers have fewer people to chase on and before election day.
In Obama’s webcast tonight, he said to emphasize to voters that in this election they have a choice between moving forward on health care, financial reform, and education vs. giving wealthy people tax cuts and trying to return to the economic policies that got us in this mess in the first place.
What the Dems were able to accomplish is far from perfect but the Republicans have threatened to slash education by 20% and to repeal health care and financial reform legislation. Polls that show that the last 2 are unpopular are misleading: they are popular if you ask about features contained in them individually.
Zam
Better yet if you could all try and make it down to the closest campaign office (assuming you live within reasonable distance) and offer your time. I work for a candidate and all the dems in our office are in constant need of more volunteers, and no matter how many people we have we could always use more. The offices don’t just need phone-banking but canvassers, data entry help, or even just people to bring us food (believe it or not we don’t always have the time to go out and eat during our long ass days).
Mary Jane Leach
@zam – I agree, go to your closest campaign office. They have targeted call lists. Even better, is to go canvassing – you have more direct contact with the voters. I’ve been doing both for Scott Murphy, hoping I’ve made a difference, esp. in a district with more registered republicans.
wmd
I’m the one that sent the email…
I used OFA to help Obama in 2008.
What I like about calloutthevote is that it is for progressive candidates:
House:
Annie Kuster (NH-02) Beth Krom (CA-48) Bill Hedrick (CA-44)
Manan Trivedi (PA-06) Ed Potosnak (NJ-07)
Alan Grayson (FL-08) Raul Grijalva (AZ-07) Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15)
Tom Perriello (VA-05) Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01)
Senate:
Jack Conway (KY) Elaine Marshall (NC) Paul Hodes (NH)
Russ Feingold (WI) Roxanne Conlin (IA) Joe Sestak (PA)
I’d rather spend my time on these races. (Grijalva, Grayson, Feingold in particular… I think Sestak would be my next choice).
OFA will be helping any democratic candidate, and personally I don’t see a lot of value in helping Blue Dogs. Your mileage may vary, and OFA does have good tools.
Working at a local campaign office is also a fine thing to do. And it gives you some credibility with down ticket candidates which can be useful if you want them to listen to you on state and local issues (like redistricting).
Bill D.
FYI- There are at least two people here who go by Bill D. I’m not sure when I signed up but it’s been a few years at least.
wmd
@Bill D.:
I go by my initials wmd… but I sign my emails using Bill, not William.
wmd
Almost forgot – Thanks for signing up Anne!
I’m psyched to be helping Feingold, Grayson and Grijalva!
Bill D.
Thanks for the clarification, wmd. I should have read the replies more carefully before posting!