Want To (Legally) Vote More Than Once?

(If you are a conservative please do not read this.)

I just got out of a MoveOn.org training session.

What's the strategy of how to get out the vote?

Here's what they trained me to do over the next 72 hours:
-Log on to their site with my password.
-Download about 40 names or so from my block. I couldn't get my exact neighborhood so it is the neighborhood across the street, a half mile by a half mile.
-The names are a publically-accesible database of registered voters from the last 4 elections. It is skewed to mostly include registered voters who missed 3 or 4 elections, even though they are registered.
-Go to the block and knock on doors OR call on the phone. If someone is voting for GWB you say thanks, have a nice day. If they are neutral give them a phamplet of literature. If they are Kerry, ask what time they'll vote and ask them to check in with the red-hatted MoveOn rep at the polling place when they vote.
-When you've finished the list get the results back to the database. We will call and remind people, gently, that they said they would vote at such and such a time and place. Not too much driving people to the polls is actually needed.

None of this is in my nature; I'm extremely passive and low energy. But entering that room suddenly lifted two years of frustration off my shoulders. I realized that, in effect I get to, in effect, vote more than once this way. They said they've done this a lot of times in previous campaigns and the result of the canvasing is pretty predictable. One person, canvassing for 25 man-hours (its easier if you have some friends or family with you) usually gets 5 conversations an hour, 2.5 of those conversations are with a Kerry supporter. At that rate, by Monday night, one person can create up to 67 votes for John Kerry.

I am now confident that this Bush debacle will have some a lasting, invigorating effect on the politics of this country. Viva democracy.

BTW, you are not too late at all. If you want to canvass for the GOTV (Get Out The Vote), MoveOn people and the website are waiting right now for people to sign up. They expect to train people Saturday, Sunday, and even Monday.

Comments

[Michelle Yang]

I got to trudge through (what seemed like) most of southern New Hampshire on that Monday and Tuesday. Er....for the other side (sorry). But we lost the state, if that makes you feel better. :)