Volunteering for a Campaign

NeilJam

Has anyone else here volunteered for either Presidential campaign this year? I put some time in for the Obama campaign this past Saturday. I went to the office to get a yard sign, but since they had a limited supply they would only give them to volunteers so I agreed to help out.

They gave me a list of voters registered as Democrats with their addresses and a map of the area they lived in. My job for about 4 hours was to try and talk with each of them to find out if they had decided who to vote for, were leaning one way or the other, or if they were undecided. For the undecided voters I was also supposed to ask what issue they were most concerned with and give them a pamphlet about it. If it was an issue I didn't have literature for, the campaign could get them more information about it later. They also wanted me to encourage voters to go in for early voting to avoid the lines on election day.

I got to talk to some really nice people, but also ran into some real jerks. I was glad to find that most of the voters I talked with planned to vote for Obama or were at least leaning that way.

QuestionAuthority

I have been making calls to undecided voters for Obama and have come across some very interesting replies.. I have heard some racist comments from a couple if people, but alot of people are disgusted with the choice of Palin and that sealed the deal for NOT voting for McCain.

Urban Hiker

I petitioned to get Nader on the ballot in WA state. Lost my voice for a week after one event - you have to get through a lot of no's to get one yes. :(

Some people were awesome, believing in choice and democracy. I thank them.

Other people thought it appropriate to try to intimidate people from signing my petition by YELLING at them. It got pretty hostile. That part bummed me out. :mad:

That said, I would not hesitate to petition again for something I believe in.

_

I've never volunteered for presidential campaign before, but I just signed up to volunteer for the Obama campaign. Not sure what they'll have me do... probably going door-to-door.

I'm also going to try to volunteer on election day, if I can get the day off work.

sweetpotato

NeilJam wrote:

Has anyone else here volunteered for either Presidential campaign this year? I put some time in for the Obama campaign this past Saturday. I went to the office to get a yard sign, but since they had a limited supply they would only give them to volunteers so I agreed to help out.

They gave me a list of voters registered as Democrats with their addresses and a map of the area they lived in. My job for about 4 hours was to try and talk with each of them to find out if they had decided who to vote for, were leaning one way or the other, or if they were undecided. For the undecided voters I was also supposed to ask what issue they were most concerned with and give them a pamphlet about it. If it was an issue I didn't have literature for, the campaign could get them more information about it later. They also wanted me to encourage voters to go in for early voting to avoid the lines on election day.

I got to talk to some really nice people, but also ran into some real jerks. I was glad to find that most of the voters I talked with planned to vote for Obama or were at least leaning that way.

i've made calls and will be working in the office in my county next week for obama. i've also had a mixed bag of responses, tho everyone i called confirmed they are voting for obama.

sweetpotato

oops dup post...

digster

I helped run a campaign office for Obama in the runup to the New York state primary on Super Tuesday, which was incredibly fun. It was in upstate New York. I had never done something like that, but volunteers going in and out were so fluid that after being there for a month I got to help run the place with this much older volunteer. It was pretty frightening, since neither of us had done anything like that before. Clinton ended up winning the county we were working in, but we were able to take a bit of solace in the fact that it was a very close win in that county when everyone had been expecting a Clinton blowout, including us.

I'm pretty sure I'll be heading down to PA in the next few weekends, and I'll probably be doing door-to-door stuff and phone banking. I kind of wish I'd angled for a job of some sort right after that primary process; I would have loved to work for the Obama camp throughout the summer, and I could see myself doing things like that in the future.

panthergirl

i've been volunteering for the obama campaign for a few months now.
we have a local temporary democratic campaign office where some of the local/state dem candidates have space and we have all the pamphlets and signs and paraphenalia... we answer phones and questions etc...
we have signs and shirts and pins and stickers so we sell them for a donation.

it's fun and there are lots of like-minded friendly positive people of all ages.

we also have at least 3 obama offices within a few miles of my home so I've been helping them out as well with phone calls etc.
we were helping people register to vote til last week and next week early voting starts here in fla so we'll concentrate on that.
we are stressing the importance of early voting over absentee if at all possible.

when i go to the grocery store, i also pick up some drinks and snacks and drop them off at the offices for the volunteers

sweetpotato

panthergirl wrote:

i've been volunteering for the obama campaign for a few months now.
we have a local temporary democratic campaign office where some of the local/state dem candidates have space and we have all the pamphlets and signs and paraphenalia... we answer phones and questions etc...
we have signs and shirts and pins and stickers so we sell them for a donation.

it's fun and there are lots of like-minded friendly positive people of all ages.

we also have at least 3 obama offices within a few miles of my home so I've been helping them out as well with phone calls etc.
we were helping people register to vote til last week and next week early voting starts here in fla so we'll concentrate on that.
we are stressing the importance of early voting over absentee if at all possible.

when i go to the grocery store, i also pick up some drinks and snacks and drop them off at the offices for the volunteers

that's something i hadn't thought of- thanks! i'm gonna bring them some dunkin donuts when i go next week.