The Buckeye State receives no shortage of attention each election cycle, and 2006 is no different. While DNC organizers are working in states like
Utah and,
Kansas, and
Oklahoma -- states like Ohio still receive a tremendous amount of attention -- and rightly so.
No state has more statewide elections taking place in 2006 than Ohio. There's a heated campaign between Democrat Ted Strickland and Republicans Ken Blackwell and Jim Petro to replace term-limited and criminally convicted Republican Governor Bob Taft. Congressman Sherrod Brown's campaign is trucking along in his bid to unseat incumbent Senator Mike DeWine. Down the ballot, Democrats have a number of tremendous candidates including Jennifer Brunner (for SoS), Marc Dann and Subodh Chandra (for AG), Barbara Sykes (for Auditor), and Hugh Quill and Richard Cordray (for Treasurer).
The difference between the two state parties in the run-up to November couldn't be more clear either. The Republican side of the aisle resembles the worst scenes of
Lord of the Flies. The GOP state party chair is more of a referee between feuding Republicans in the Governor's race than a leader of the party. Congressman Bob Ney and the Chair have thrown
very public barbs at eachother.
The FBI has found a second home in Republican Attorney General Jim Petro's office. And of course there is
Tom Noe and Coingate. For the Democrats, recently elected State Party Chair Chris Redfern has the party pointed in the right direction since taking his seat earlier this year. DNC-paid organizers are on the ground throughout the state. The party's bench is growing with up-and-coming superstars like Statehouse Minority Leader Joyce Beatty. A thriving online community provides a
consistent vehicle for two-way communication between the grassroots, candidates, and elected officials across the state. A recent
generic ballot poll conducted by Akron's Bliss Institue found that fifty-nine percent of Ohioans would like to see the Democratic Party regain control of the Republican controlled state government. Polls in the race for
governor,
U.S. Senate, and various polls on Congressional races paint a picture that reflects the the Bliss institute's findings. The DNC organizers are prepared and well-positioned to build a massive grassroots organization that unites the parties leadership with those on-the-ground who do the daily dirty work of democracy.
In addition to maintaining and updating a statewide voter file, organizing and GOTV efforts, and traditional field operations, the DNC-organizers are building solid organizations at the county level in the form of "victory squads." One of the massive undertakings by the organizers is to recruit county coordinators, grassroots outrach coordinators, volunteer coordinators, canvassing coordinators, phone bank coordinators, minority outreach coordinators, early voting coordinators, and media coordinators for each and every one of Ohio's 88 counties. These are volunteer positions, and the organizers are doing a fantastic job filling these roles across the state. In addition to creating the infrastructure to compete in blue counties like Cuyahoga and Athens, purple like Stark, and red like Clermont, the DNC-organizers will work in conjunction with newly hired Ohio coordinated campaign manager Richard Dickerson this year as well. Instead of outsourcing a field plan in 2006, the Democratic Party is doing what it hasn't done in quite some time -- taking our destiny in our own hands and building the organization necessary to win in 2006, but also carries over into 2008, 2010, and beyond! In closing, here's an example of what the "victory squads" hope to accomplish at the county level over the course of the next few months:
County Coordinator
Organize meetings of Coordinating team
Organize larger meetings of volunteers
Make sure that each coordinator has what they need to accomplish goals
Ensure that ODP is informed on local events
Grassroots Outreach Coordinator
Serve as liaison between ODP and grassroots activities
Develop a plan to involve local grassroots organizations with ODP
Identify and network with all local progressive grassroots organizations.
Volunteer Coordinator
Ensure that there is a presence at all key events within the county
Organize parade entries, walkers, etc.
Recruit and retain volunteers for the party
Canvassing Coordinator
Coordinate volunteers in conducting canvassing activity
Ensure that local efforts are consistent with the campaign's targeting
Prepare maps for canvassing activity
Phone Bank Coordinator
Develop plan for phone activity into targeted areas
Identify offices, union halls, etc. with phones that could be utilized
Coordinate volunteers in conducting phone activity
Minority Outreach Coordinator
Develop plan for county minority outreach
Reach out to minority groups
Recruit volunteers from the minority community
Early Voting Coordinator
Coordinate with local Boards of Elections on absentee voting requests
Phone bank to those requesting absentee ballots to ensure they actually vote
Media Coordinator
Coordinate letter to the editor campaigns
Monitor local TV and radio after the event and tape any coverage we receive
Times they are a changin' in Ohio. To get involved at the local level, be sure to contact the Ohio Democratic Party for more information, and to get pointed to the right direction.