Please spend more time registering voters and volunteering at

[DURHAM D]

your local democrat or Kerry headquarters and less time online. It's good to be well informed but generally speaking, time spent here doesn't get any more votes.

I know this will make many of you angry so I think I'll turn off my computer and go make some phone calls.

Ouch, ouch, ouch.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. Good advice and thanks

[iconoclastic cat]

2. I know, you're right.

In my defense, though, I can't really leave my apartment during work hours due to my job hunt.

[wildeyed]

9. One thing I really need for my GOTV effort

is volunteers who can make calls and address postcards to voters we register on the weekends. Make sure they got their cards, know where to vote, find out if they need a ride. Maybe you can do that? Not for me directly, but I am sure there are many organizations in your town that could use the help.

The postcard thing is tedious, so I do it while I watch TV or listen to music.

[iconoclastic cat]

12. Good tip!

Do you know who is doing that sort of thing in Chicago? I can just call the Kerry campaign office, I suppose.

[wildeyed]

17. Probably Kerry campaign has lots to do.

NAACP and ACORN are actively registering voters this year in my community, but I don't know about yours. Also, try act4victory.com.

[iconoclastic cat]

18. Thanks!

See, DU can be a motivational tool, too--not just a time-sucking slackfest!

[blondeatlast]

14. Offer people opportunities to work from home.

I'm writing letters to swing-state single moms for the MMOB.

Lots of organizations have the same sorts of programs targeting swing state, underrepresented groups.

I do it while I'm DUing. It's inspirational.

[troubleinwinter]

3. And talk to friends and family

Over the past week or so, in talking about our VOTE KERRY/DUMP W views, I found FOUR friends and family members who are not registered! I was shocked. Two hadn't re-registered when they moved 3 years ago. One hadn't bothered since moving 20 years ago. They WANT to vote now! I told them how to register on line. Also said it is easy to have the forms sent by phoning their county elections office.

[troubleinwinter]

6. You needn't leave your home.

You can add a 'signature line' to all of your personal emails:

"Are you currently registered to vote?! Register online here: ____"

I think Michael Moore's site has the link.

[wildeyed]

11. Even better, download the forms yourself, have your friends

fill them out and YOU send them in. That way you know they got sent in. Then, remind them to vote, even offer to drive them. Your very own mini-GOTV operation! And that is how we will win this election, by turning out the dem voters on Nov 2.

[wildeyed]

4. good advice, and something I am already doing.

I'll be dinking around on this website, or other similar, and suddenly think, I could be emailing volunteers for the next registration drive..... right now. Or even make a few phone calls. Hmmmmm.....

DU is fun, and sometimes I get great ideas here, but, really, it is mostly preaching to the choir. Registering new voter and LTTE's are things that will really impact the election.

[qwlauren35]

5. Oh, you're absolutely right...

I'll embarrass myself bluntly and say, point blank, that I don't surf DU on my own time very often. Just on company time. Yup, dumb thing to put in print, I realize...

The amount of time I spend on DU vs. the amount of time I spend working for the campaign is probably about 1:4.

I usually come to DU to get the news, and maybe to get some ideas. Too often, the ideas aren't forthcoming, and there's just empty rhetoric. Oh yeah, it's disappointing. I would have thought that the Activism/Events forum would be hopping... but it's not.

I remember talking to a woman with www.actforvictory.org and she made a very blunt statement about the Deaniacs. She said that too many of us (I'm a Deaniac) stay on-line instead of taking action in the streets. I've seen a bit of this. Less action than I expected. But I've also seen the Kerry campaign attempt to harness Internet surfers. They have an entire site devoted to Internet Campaign Activity ideas. http://forum.johnkerry.com/index.php?showforum=21

I try to use the Internet as a tool for the campaign... instead of using the Internet strictly as a grievance board.

And I've found MANY great sites. I meet other Dem's and Kerry supporters through the meet-ups.
http://dfa.meetup.com
http://johnkerry.meetup.com
http://democrat.meetup.com

I use the Yahoo Groups to confer.

I use several Internet sites to post events and contact supporters.
http://volunteer.johnkerry.com
www.acthere.org
www.democracyforamerica.org

I follow the PACs like www.moveonPAC.org

I get downloads and tips from support sites like:
http://www.kerrysupport.com/
http://www.grassroots4kerry.org/

I consider the Internet useful. But only as far as it allows me to make a difference. When it ceases to be useful, I tend to log off.

[mimitabby]

7. i'm getting paid for 4 days of registering voters!

my company is going to pay for 100 of us to do this.
i am psyched!

[cheshire]

8. and don't assume your state is solid,California did vote Rep. Gov ugh

[TeeYiYi]

10. Utah? What do you think? n/t

TYY

[henslee]

16. hey, TeeYiYi. ever go to speed week at Bonneville?

[TeeYiYi]

20. No I haven't . . .

. . . were you there this year?

TYY

[qwlauren35]

13. Oh PLEASE Say This More!!!

A friend of mine made a joke yesterday that Kerry could lose Mass because everyone is so sure he'll win that the Dems might stay home.

I think we need to urge everyone to prove that Kerry can win by a LANDSLIDE by delivering states to Kerry with 70% support or better. It needs to be a goal for all of the non-swing states.

When I think about how much we look back on Election 2000 as a measure of where we must campaign this year, I realize that even if one's vote has little impact on Election 2004, it will have a HUGE impact on Election 2008!!!!

[henslee]

15. I'm going to Miami for labor day. Already spoke to NAACP downt there. nt

[TexasSissy]

19. You're right, of course.

But for us workers, it's hard to find time to do much of anything besides work and live and grocery shop and mow the lawn and care for the pets and wash the dishes and vacuum and dust and clean the car and.....