Starting on June 12th, Hope Springs from Field PAC began canvassing in the Black Belt of Georgia, repeating our steps in the Georgia Senate Runoff, with a special emphasis on helping voters without the newly required photo IDs to obtain them. When investigating the kinds of IDs that a voter could use, our intrepid organizers from Albany State saw this, “An ID card can be issued at any county registrar’s office.” For voters without a photo ID, this seemed like an obvious place to go get one. Driver Services offices are notoriously crowded (at least in the Black Belt), everyone knows stories of rude or even offensive employees, and no one thought it a good idea to put voters who didn’t already have that identification through that. In fact, these kids believed that the biggest reason people in the African-American community wouldn’t have the proper ID was the embarrassment factor. Paperwork is also an issue, we’ve learned as we have started finding voters who need to obtain ID.
The offer of a free photo ID that would qualify voters to vote (in person or to request an absentee ballot) is used prominently to defend this new legislation in court. It's not an issue, Republicans say, because anyone can get the required ID at their local county registrar's office. So we asked the Houston County Registrar’s Office (which is sometimes considered outside the Black Belt but was organized by a student from Albany State who has been key to our efforts) if they were prepared to issue the promised voter cards (see above). This is the second Registrar’s Office we have tested, and we used the first test in Dougherty County as a factor is discussions with the office in Houston. The Houston County Registrar’s Office did confirm that the Secretary of State’s office had promised them (the Registrar’s Office) that they would be given the means to provide voters with the picture IDs the state legislature mandate. A month out, we agreed with that office on a date where they said they would be prepared to issue them.
Like in Dougherty, the Houston County Registrar’s did not know how many voters had registered without a Driver’s License. And, like the Dougherty office, they made sure that the Georgia Secretary of State knew that they would be getting voters who were going to request Voter ID Cards. We expected better preparation this time.
We have been informing voters, when we canvassed, of the new voter laws and requirements, making sure they were aware of the promise that these photo ID cards would be available at the registrar’s office. We also made sure the Black churches, the anchor in African-American communities, knew, as well.
As part of our targets for our weekly canvasses, we are mindful of the voters the Georgia Secretary of State removed from Georgia's voter files. Walking turf that includes voters who have been removed (or about to be removed) from the voter rolls adds to our message that Democrats Care! and that we are doing something about the GOP’s heavy handedness.
There were 1931 names on the Raffensperger reject list in Houston County. It is hardly surprising that this is twice the number of names on the Dougherty County list given the presence of Robins Air Force Base. So the clusters we included in our canvasses focused outside of Warner Robins, on minority neighborhoods in Houston. Our canvasses have multiple purposes and our biggest goal here is to connect with voters, especially minority voters, and inform them about the recent changes in the law and regulations that might affect them.
In the weeks since the 12th, we have found dozens of voters who admitted they didn’t have the needed ID. And more than two dozen agreed to participate in our test of the Houston County Registrar’s Office last Thursday (the 26th). In the belief that these mostly older, African-American citizens needed to see and feel the support of their community, we’ve also been asking people who had the necessary identification to join us in supporting those who came out to get their free photo ID cards from the Registrar’s Office. Over 100 people signed up to participate, a significant number of them pastors from the county’s Black churches, as well as community leaders and activists. 78 people showed up, 2/3rds of them who did not require a photo ID but were prepared to ask for one.
As our list grew, we made sure that the county employees from the Registrar’s office were kept abreast of developments. Unlike the Driver Services office, the Registrar’s office didn’t expect any other constituent to be there (and, in fact, no constituent who needed other services stopped by while we were there). And they accepted that our purpose was not to pressure them, but to pressure the Secretary of State’s office and the legislative promise that these free Voter cards would be available, as was promised.
And the fact is that people who don't have identification with a photo on it aren't generally aware of these requirements (something I learned from a Georgia voter in the Senate special election). So going door to door, and allying with the Black Churches, in the Black Belt has proven to be effective in getting the word out that free photo Voter IDs are available from the local Registrar’s Offices.
This is why we are canvassing.
Hope Springs from Field PAC is knocking on doors in a grassroots-led effort to increase awareness of the fact that Democrats care about our voters and are working to protect their rights. We are thinking about how to mitigate Voter Suppression efforts, get around them and make sure we have "super compliance," both informing and helping our voters meet the requirements and get out and vote. We are taking those efforts to the doors of the communities most effected (the intended targets or victims) of these new voter suppression laws.
Obviously, we rely on grassroots support, so if you support field/grassroots organizing and our efforts to protect our voters, we would certainly appreciate your support:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/hopevoteprotect
Hope Springs from Field PAC was started by former Obama Field Organizers because field was the cornerstone of our success. The approach we adopted was focused on listening, on connecting voters and their story to the candidate and our cause. Repeated face to face interactions are critical. And we are among those who believe that Democrats didn’t do as well in the 2020 Congressional races as expected because we didn’t knock on doors. We are returning to the old school basics: repeated contacts, repeated efforts to remind them of protocols, meeting them were they are. Mentoring those who need it (like first time and newly registered voters). Reminding, reminding, reminding, and then chasing down those voters whose ballots need to be cured.
All 33 voters (first) in line who did not have the necessary picture ID received one (unlike in Dougherty, where they ran out of stock). But the Registrar’s Office did request that no one who didn’t need a voter ID ask for one, a request we honored. And we made sure they knew that we would do this again. We have scheduled 13 more attempts to obtain these free Voter ID cards in the future in 5 Black Belt counties. Here’s the key takeaway so far: Dougherty County, which sits inside of the Black Belt, didn’t have enough stock to give everyone who needs one a free Voter ID card while Houston County (which is getting Bluer but largely because the military is made up of more Democrats than in prior years) did have sufficient stock.
I want to reiterate that this action is a result of the thinking about the consequences of the new Georgia elections law by students at the Historically Black College and University Albany State. They thought of this test and put the troops on the ground in these counties. Dougherty was the most convenient place for the first test because it is were Albany State is located. Our canvassing in Georgia is an outgrowth of these volunteers, who seem extraordinarily committed to keeping Rev Warnock in the U.S. Senate. And these (mostly female) African-American women were just amazing at getting people to knock on doors in their Black Belt counties. But they keep asking, can we do more? Those who will be returning to Albany State in the fall are expecting to do more!
We can all do more. Of course, the easiest thing that any of us can do is to contribute. We realize not everyone can, just as not everyone has the patience, knowledge and skillset to walk people through the process of obtaining a photo id. But if you support our grassroots efforts to protect the vote, especially in minority communities, I hope you do.
Our main expenses (right now) are typical canvassing materials (water, snacks, walk packets, lit, buttons and access to VAN) as well as the mobile printers we are purchasing to comply with the voter ID requirements in other states. At this time, all the money we raise is devoted to this. But we are currently relying upon the Obama alumni network for organizers and cutting turf. We want to bring in other field organizers as we are able, especially since many of the people who are cutting turf now will want to devote more of their volunteer time to the candidates and causes they support.
If you are able to support our efforts to protect Democratic voters, especially in minority communities, expand the electorate, and believe in grassroots efforts to increase voter participation and election protection, please donate:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/hopevoteprotect
Thank you for your support!
