I've always treated politics like a spectator sport. I've given money, sure, and I write and call my Reps, but as politically savvy as I like to think I am, and despite how closely I follow politics, I've never gotten in the game. I'm 41, and I've never volunteered, I've never door knocked, never phone banked, never canvassed.
Until now.
This is the first installment of my Getting Active series. Better late than never, right? Won't you join me?
On Saturday, the Obama campaign opened an office less than a mile from my house. That pretty much dashed the last excuse I had for not volunteering. I used to shop occasionally at the video store where the campaign office used to be. Now, instead of DVDs and VHS tapes, there are tables and clipboards and eager volunteers, and Obama signs in the windows.
I used to be pretty introverted. In high school, I would have died if I tried to ask a girl out on a date. For the most part, I've learned to be more extroverted, or at least to fake it well. (Sometimes, I can sense that I'm playing a role when I'm being outgoing.) Even so, I have to admit I was shy about walking up to total strangers or knocking on doors. (I haven't tried calling people yet, but after door knocking, I think phone banking will be easier. Is that true?)
Who is this guy?
It probably helped that I was eased into it when a dear old family friend hosted a house party a while back, and I got to meet one of the very pleasant, sincere, and unassuming coordinators for the Michigan operation.
A little background on myself: My mother, aunt, and several close family friends were active in the peace and social justice movement, protested against the Vietnam war, and were strongly pro-union. We were Democratic from the word go. The woman who hosted the house party was one of those family friends, and is active in the Detroit chapter of the WILPF (Women's International League for Peace and Freedom).
Then, just recently, I went down to the Michigan Obama HQ to try to snag some yard signs for some family members, a woman who works where I work recognized my voice. It turns out she sits near where I sit in a large office building, though we had never met. She was volunteering for the campaign, and I talked to her for a bit.
So when the news came that the office was opening near me on Saturday, I was as ready as I was ever going to be to get off my duff and do something! (Reading about the many people on this site who are politically active helped, too. It really made me stop and question why I've never done more).
Getting Active
All I had to do was drive a few blocks down the street on Saturday morning, find a place to park, and walk in. Right away, a woman from Pointes for Peace, a Grosse Pointe peace group that my aunt co-founded and which I sporadically attend, recognized me and welcomed me.
Believe me, if she hadn't been there, someone else would have welcomed me. Don't be intimidated about walking in to a campaign office and saying, "Hi, I'd like to help. What can I do?" This is not a high pressure situation. They will be delighted to see you. Don't call or email or sign up on the web site for someone to contact you and then sit back and wait. If, like me, you've been putting it off, just wander in to your nearest campaign office and introduce yourself. It's so easy.
A great guy with the same last name as one of our top state elected officials (no relation, he averred) gave me a clipboard and easy-to-follow instructions, and asked me to go to a nearby gas station, a "high traffic area", and try to register people to vote.
Truth time: Was I nervous on the way there, or when I got out and approached the first few strangers? "You betcha." Wink
The second ten people were definitely easier than the first ten, but it really wasn't that hard, and pretty soon I was in such a groove that I didn't even have to think about it.
Making Change
I registered six people to vote on Saturday, and one guy who signed a form took a second one for his brother, with the promise to return it to the campaign office. Not the greatest numbers, I know, but I felt awesome!
Remember that woman from my workplace? On Sunday, when I went in to volunteer again, who walked in just after me? She was there on the east side, even though she normally worked out of the downtown office. And I snagged a lawn sign from her for my sister-in-law in return for loaning her my copy of The Audacity of Hope on CD.
On Sunday, I only managed to register four more people but she and I were working gas stations at the same intersections, and I know that she got at least six or seven. So that's ten for me for the weekend, or sixteen - seventeen - eighteen if you count my 'partner's' regs and the guy who was going to bring back the filled-out form from his brother.
(Okay, I'm padding my count a little by counting all that. I confess.)
On Monday night, I went out and canvassed in the suburbs. Canvassing is going to be the subject of my next diary in this series, but I managed two more registrations while canvassing on October 6, the last day for voter registration in Michigan. (The city clerk's office was open till midnight, so the campaign could get the forms in.)
But wait! There's more! Check this out: I was so dog-tired by the time I got back to my car, my feet were aching and I had to go to the bathroom, and there was a Taco Bell close by where I parked. So I stopped in to use the restroom and get a cold drink.
The young man behind the counter was 18, and had recently moved to Michigan but had not yet registered. He said he was planning to. Well, I told him tonight was the last night, and I had forms in my car!
So I got one last reg before the night was over!
My Point, and I do have one...
Okay, probably most of you reading this are 1000% more active than I am. But I read this site for years and never got in the game. Hell, I remember in 2006 wondering exactly what this "canvassing" that you all were talking about was. (Are you wondering? Stay tuned for the next diary in this series.)
If you are like me, know this: You can do this. It really isn't hard. It isn't as intimidating as you might be thinking. I was totally overthinking it, myself. How hard is this?
"Hi, I'm David Conrad. I'm working with the Barack Obama campaign registering voters today. There are only two days left to register in Michigan. Are you registered at your current address?"
(Okay, 90+% say "Yes" here.)
"No? Would you like to get registered? It only takes a minute. Here, let's just fill out this form...."
"I'll be turning in this form today, and you should get your voter registration card in the mail in a few weeks. But even if you don't get the card, you can still vote on election day. You just need to show up to your polling place and give your name and address. They'll have you on the list. You can find out your polling place at website or website or by visiting the local Obama campaign office at location."
"Don't forget to vote on Tuesday, November 4th. That's the big day. We're going to make history!"
Piece. Of. Cake.
So, voter registration closes in Michigan in just under half an hour, as I'm writing this. (I'm posting this diary so late, probably no one will even see it.) But in some states, registration is open right up until election day.
You can totally do this.
If you're already active, thanks for all you do. If you've registered way more voters than me, try not to laugh too hard at my puny numbers. But if you haven't gotten active yet...
GET ACTIVE!