Just went out to GOTV today in Arlington Virginia: Thoughts

[theinquisitivechad]

Good afternoon lovely DU community!

I went out with Obama for America this morning to knock on doors. The list was primarily a list of registered Democrat voters, that the campaign has identified as "Unlikely to vote". Of about 60 doors, we had 13 conversations, and of those 13 conversations, I estimated that about 5 folks I talked to had already EARLY VOTED (Here in Virginia it's called "Absentee", because I guess they can't truly bring themselves to allow "Early" voting here, not sure if that has something to do with our current governorship or what).

I also caught some "Undecided" or "I don't like to talk about politics" voters in the walkways and pathways around the apartments. I interpreted this to mean "Romney" voters - doubt that we're going to change their minds just by being out there and knocking on doors but you never know.

I was paired with a lovely feminist woman in her 60s who told me how hard it was back in the 1970s for women. How she was one of few women in her male-dominated office when she started working, how "boob" jokes were a regular occurrence, and how her boss told her outright that she was going to make 60% of the money her male counterparts were making. How if someone had an "accident" and got pregnant without meaning to, women had to go and wait out the pregnancy at an aunt's house until they could have the baby and give it away.

Needless to say, we had some great conversations with women on the war path today. Some of them only spoke Spanish, and my partner spoke Spanish and was able to communicate with them. So many women home on this Saturday and we made sure we communicated HOW IMPORTANT it was for them and their families to get out there and vote, for themselves, their rights, and their kids.

I'm going back out at 10 AM tomorrow. Keep having your discussions with voters and get them out there!

Thank you and God/Universe Bless!

[skeewee08]

1. Thanks to you & all the OFA for your hard work

[barnabas63]

2. excellent!

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[geek tragedy]

3. How about the other 8 unlikely voters who didn't vote absentee?

Thanks for all of your work!

[theinquisitivechad]

8. First we asked if they could early vote today. . .

And gave them the polling place, hours, and reasons they could use to vote early (in Virginia, you need to justify your early/absentee vote by saying you will be working equal to/more than 11 hours on election day, saying that you need to leave the state for work (and many people work in DC so that's totally a good option), active duty military, a billion other different reasons). I would say about 3 of the 8 said they would drop by the early voting polling place to check the lines (the line was two hours long - I know because I voted there this afternoon).

If they said they couldn't vote today, we asked them what their plans were to vote on election day, down to when they planned to vote and if they needed a ride. Making them actually map out a plan for election day increases their likelihood of voting. One of those eight people even accepted a ride to their polling station on Tuesday.

Cool stuff.

[Faith9326]

4. Thank you so much

[wildeyed]

5. kick!

[ffr]

6. Imagine your work paying off like this

Here are the actual results from a Nevada County yesterday. Then imagine what your positive efforts may have had to flipping what is shown as a Republican victory.

Washoe County EV turnout, final day, 11/02/12 <link>

Dems = 5343
Reps = 5348

Five votes.

Your efforts can change that narrative. In fact, they're changing the narrative.

Awesome work!! Keep it up!

[EmeraldCityGrl]

7. You are the heros...thank you. n/t

[RBInMaine]

9. Good work. GOTV is what it is all about. I've been doing it too.

[MisterJones]

10. Very nice. nt.

nt.