This is what we have all been building towards. Hope Springs from Field PAC had barely completed ballot curing in Georgia before the runoff was announced. But, unlike the runoff in 2021, the time frame is more compressed. Senate Bill 202, the onerous Election “Reform” Act, cut in half the time between a general election and a runoff election, shortening the early in-person voting period, from a minimum of 16 days in 2020 to a minimum of 5 in 2022, and ensuring almost no new voters will be eligible to vote in the runoff.
But the shortened time frame dramatically effected our organizer base. In 2020, we began canvassing first in Albany, Georgia and then in Fort Valley looking to engage, train and mobilize volunteers for the runoff before Finals at Albany State University and Ft. Valley State University, two HBCUs that had chosen to offer classroom instruction during the pandemic. 16 of our organizers, and a large proportion of our most committed organizers, had to back away — most completely but a few partially — as Early Voting began in order to concentrate on their final week in classes and finals.
Organizers from North Carolina, many of whom already had relationships with our Georgia organizers, and Florida have filled the gap. As of Monday, we had 33 organizers in Southern Georgia focused on GOTV and even taking people to Early Voting locations, if voters expressed an interest in doing so.
Our second round of Post Cards to more than 22,000 New Voters are going out, Our GOTV Post Card (below) reminds everyone that Voting is our superpower. The card was inspired by a DKos commenter who wanted us to know to Make a Plan — Ready. Set. VOTE! I loved that. So many volunteers agreed to write Post Cards for this Runoff that we ran out of postcards and many of these writers agreed to send their own postcards to Young Voters (18-25 yo). This focus has paid off, as younger voters have been voting at much higher rates in the early Early Voting period.
The first round of postcards triggered robocalls and texts to the Newly Registered Voters. Our efforts for the runoff are not as extensive, because of the compressed schedule. But they are getting 8 rounds of contact, unless they vote early. The final piece for these New Voters will be the Virgin Voter lit drop this weekend. You can see an example of the Virgin Voter card to the left. These are basically simple directions for voters who have never voted at their assigned polling place. This will be a soft canvass/lit drop to almost 28,000 addresses.
But this drop off will be followed up with a text and possibly a live phone call from local mentors or Elections Committee volunteers who will inquire about questions these recently registered voters may have.
The New Voter postcards and follow-up are only part of our GOTV plan this Runoff. We are also doubling down on mobilizing the voters whom we helped get their Photo ID.
Hope Springs from Field PAC helped 14,142 Georgians get their free Georgia Voter ID cards over the past year.
We are reminding them that they now have the documentation they need to vote in Georgia, with the required photo IDs from the Registrar’s office. They need to use it! Volunteers are making sure that these voters know their rights, know they have what they need and know where to go to vote early or on election day. And they are answering any questions these voters might have about how to vote.
Hope Springs from Field PAC has been knocking on doors in a grassroots-led effort to prepare the Electoral Battleground in what has been called the First Round of a traditional Five Round Canvass. 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, voter registration (and follow-up) and our efforts to protect our voters, we would certainly appreciate your support:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/voterpostcards
Hope Springs from Field PAC understands that repeated voter interactions are critical. 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.
In other words, we are continuing to work the plan. And we are finding that it works. Early voting is off the charts, in large part because of Rev. Warnock’s bus tour in southern Georgia the week before. We just are not letting up, even with the challenges we have faced this Runoff.
Postcards, Virgin Voter lit, VAN (still our biggest monthly expense) and other volunteer supplies all cost money. Grassroots work may not be as expensive as media ad buys, but they still cost money. If you are able to support our efforts to mobilize these difficult, brand new voters to cast their ballots in November, especially in minority communities, expanding the electorate, or just believe in grassroots efforts to increase voter participation and election protection, please donate:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/voterpostcards
Thank you for your support. This work depends on you!