This will probably scroll onto oblivion before many folks read it, but I wanted to diary our experience door knocking in Minneapolis today and call on any other folks doing GOTV here in Minnesota to share their stories.
My wife and I and three of our friends had planned on door knocking this weekend. We had not settled on a plan and were considering several options (walking into an Obama office, calling the Tinklenberg or Franken campaigns, or volunteering with Working America, who has a super ground game).
As it turns out, I got a call on Saturday morning from the Obama campaign asking if I would volunteer for phone banking or door knocking or anythig else. Jump with me to read more and post your own story about GOTV around Minnesota!
The woman on the phone asked whether we wanted to work Tuesday, Monday, or Sunday, and I told her Sunday (I will probably do some more tomorrow and maybe even Tuesday). Then she asked if we wanted noon or four (or maybe even a later time, I forget now). I said noon. She gave me the address of a nearby United Church of Christ where the Obama campaign has a volunteer office.
We assembled this morning at our house at 11:30 and walked over to the church. The whole system was well organized. We saw people leaving to canvass as we came in. We signed in, made name tags, put on Obama stickers, and got our turf packs for the neighborhoods were going to walk. Then we did a few minutes of training with some others and off we went.
Three of the five of us walked two adjacent turfs. The packs had scripts, information on how to register at the polls, a sample ballot, and lists of addresses not to knock as the residents had already been identified as non-supporters by prior canvassing and phone banking. The emphasis was on getting known Democrats out to vote as turnout will be important in helping Franken defeat Coleman. I think Obama is probably in good shape in Minnesota, and Ellison (Minneapolis Representative) will coast to an easy win (his campaign pledge was to get 20,000 new voters registered and to the polls!), but Franken is still in a tight race with Coleman.
The three of us hit 139 doors in about three and a half hours. Many folks were not home as it was beautiful here today. We had 60 people say that they already had or would vote for Obama and the others and several important ballot initiatives, including one woman who jokingly claimed she was the first person to vote for Obama (by mail in ballot) in Minnesota! We only had 8 people say or otherwise indicate that they were for McCain. Not a bad ratio. This was a pretty high income, high Democrat (or DFL as we call it here), high turnout neighborhood. Most folks we talked to were already pretty informed and motivated. I think we convinced a few folks who were waivering to vote for Franken as well as all the others. Our other two friends walked a third turf and had a similar experience, athough they did not keep a running tally as they went.
When we got back to the church, we saw several groups headed out for the 4 PM shift. We went in and staff members debriefed us and took our packets and unused literature and we got some water and chow as more folks came in to go out and get out the vote. The only bad part of the day is that one of our kitties is missing this evening. While I'd like to think she is out doing GOTV, I think it is more likely she is trapped in a neighbors garage. Hopefully she will turn up tomorrow morning, but we are worried.
The whole operation was light years ahead of what has happened in the past. The database development seems really good and avoids knocking on GOP doors. It seems like a really good sign for the ground game in the final days.
Any other Minnesotans still out there tonight (or anyone anywhere, really), please share your GOTV stories in the comments!