Hope Springs from Field PAC [website] volunteers in Arizona, Florida, Nevada and Montana have been circulating their state’s Abortion petitions (if they choose to) along with our Issues Surveys (and other materials) each Saturday. Except in Montana; given the short time frame there, Montana volunteers have been receiving walk lists of Democrats to help them circulate petitions. We’ve now turned in petitions in Nevada and, because of the importance of the state to the Democratic majority in the Senate, as well as the Electoral College, we are reverting back to our focus on the Issues Canvass.
In Arizona and Florida, we continue to submit the petitions that we have cross-checked against the voter file and noting where the signer either was not registered to vote or not registered to vote at the address used to sign the petition.
So the work continues! Getting on the ballot was just the first step, and our efforts in that regard, in Nevada and the other 3 states, meant that not only did volunteers gather signatures for the petition, but organizers (and some of our “Super Volunteers) matched voters who signed against the voter rolls to make sure that they were registered to vote, and registered at the address they included on the petition. Again, that was just the first step in our effort to win constitutional guarantees for Reproductive Freedom in these four states.
The next step involves the verification, and probable re-registration, of voters status where we found a conflict. If they signed a petition guaranteeing Abortion Access, then they should be registered to vote (in compliance with the law)! And making sure they are is part of the second “step.” But you already knew that we wouldn’t stop there.
The other element of this second step is Thank You cards or letters expressing our appreciation for the voters who did sign. This is as much a thanks as it is a reminder to voters that signed these petitions. As is our practice here at Hope Springs, signers will get a second “reminder” postcard before Early Voting begins in their state.
The third step, as it were, is to build out our database of single-issue abortion supporters. Of course, this is expanded to voters who voice support for the constitutional guarantee. Each
So we will also be re-contacting voters who signed the petitions to verify that they do support the amendment, now that the message war has begun. Some people, including me, will sign almost anything with the thought that the voters should be given a choice. You don’t want to assume they are supporting it, although 99.99% will.
What happens next depends on which state. I fully expect Arizona and Nevada to run another coordinated campaign GOTV operation that we’d expect volunteers to shift over to once they start canvassing in their area. Like other Democrats with access to VAN, they will be able to see our data then.
I fully expect Montana and Florida to try to do so, but we will see. We won’t stop canvassing until we see replacements for our Saturday canvasses. But we could very well be in a situation like Ohio where the primary organizing group supporting the constitutional amendment in those states ask for help during GOTV. If so, like in Ohio, Hope Springs will do so.
That’s what we do...