Promoting GOTV on DU Does Not Imply That DUers Don't Vote.

[MineralMan]

I'm a frequent poster of GD OPs encouraging GOTV efforts. Some people seem to think I'm suggesting that DUers are the ones who need to go and vote. That's silly. I assume that everyone on DU votes in every election. Who and what they vote for isn't really any of my business.

My posts about GOTV are designed to encourage DUers to get involved in bringing other voters to the polls. You know, phone banking, canvassing, providing election day transportation, and other similar things. DU is an activism website. It's a given that DUers vote. That's not the issue.

GOTV is about getting the maximum turnout of Democratic voters across the country. It's about amplifying our own individual votes by convincing others to go to the polls. I've never understood why calls for maximum GOTV efforts are seen by some as attacks on DUers. GOTV is the most positive thing any of us can do to influence who wins elections.

There's still time. You can still contact candidates and your local party organization and get involved in helping to GOTV. If you get just one person to vote who wouldn't have voted, you have doubled the impact of your own vote. If you convince 10 people to vote, you've increased the power of your vote by a power of 10.

So,

GOTV 2014 and Beyond! That's the activism that gets results on election day.

[FSogol]

1. "encourage DUers to get involved in bringing other voters to the polls."

Thanks.

[MineralMan]

2. Yup. That's the goal.

If we all do that, it will show in the post-election results.

[JustAnotherGen]

3. That's why I tell folks directly what they need to do!

My posts about GOTV are designed to encourage DUers to get involved in bringing other voters to the polls.

Example - last night I suggested folks volunteer to drive people to the polls.

I think - since you are one of my buddies in this endeavor - we need to give an example every time we post the acronym GOTV.

[MineralMan]

10. Everything helps with this important work, from

helping to registered unregistered voters to physically helping people to get to the polling place. Everyone can help with this, whether they have lots of time or just a little.

[MineralMan]

4. By the way: My personal unofficial tabulation of people who

I have convinced to go to the polls on November 4, despite their original intent not to is now 37. That's in my own precinct, which is where I focus my efforts. That's 37 people who will now go to the polls and vote for DFL-endorsed candidates.

My strategy is door-knocking and talking to people I encounter about the election. I study candidates' positions and ask people I talk to about issues that are important to them. Then, I give them a candidate or candidates to support who have the same goals they have. My tally is based on people who initially said they weren't planning to vote, but who indicated they would after talking to me.

37. It doesn't sound like a lot, but in an individual precinct, it is a lot.

[Blanks]

19. Actually, 37 sounds like a lot to me. Good job. eom.

[MineralMan]

20. Individual GOTV efforts don't often result in high

numbers of voters, but every vote counts, particularly at the precinct level. I live in St. Paul, MN. My precinct is just one of 14 precincts in Ward 6, and there are 7 Wards in the city. I live in a precinct that is made up of single-family homes and the entire precinct can be easily walked by one person, as can all of the precincts in my city. 37 additional voters, if achieved in every precinct, would add up to a major turnout increase and could easily swing an election.

Here's a map of Ward 6, Precinct 13. This is my precinct. It's easy to see how small this voting area is:



We're all working to get voters out who agree with our positions. Individual GOTV efforts can make a big difference in any congressional district, for example, and the motivated voters who might not have gone to the polls can easily total in the four figures if GOTV is effective. That can produce a winning margin in any election, and often does.

The party that does GOTV best usually wins the election. It is that simple.

[Peacetrain]

5. Thank you , thank you, thank you

There are a number of us who volunteer on the local level who post and read articles in DU and other sites.. and I appreciate this so much. Sometimes.. especially when you are just days from an election.. you get a little worn out.. and seeing GOTV posts on DU is almost like a cup of coffee.. charges you up to stay with your promise to knock on doors..

And when people come in even on the last couple of days to help out .. to bring in cookies and coffee, do a little calling, offer to drive those who need a ride to the polls.. they are so appreciated.. over the moon appreciated..

Governance is about the group effort.. the community coming together.. its an awesome thing

[MineralMan]

7. Thanks so much for your GOTV work!

[Peacetrain]

16. I wish I was able to do more this time

We have had a couple of deaths in the family and surgeries for my Mom so I have been a cheerleader.. have gotten to do some.. but not as much as I wish I could have.. but there are a lot of great people out this time.. thank you for those 37 people.. I mean some of these elections will turn on 37 people or less.. especially in areas like this where we are starting to see some headway.. if nothing else to put the fear of GOD in certain elected official (Steve King) that they do not have the support they think they do to be so blasted crazy.. Every single vote counts in situations like this..

[Thinkingabout]

6. K & R

Good post, yes everyone needs to vote in every election and yes to encouraging our friends who may not be registered to get registered and vote. We have the numbers on our side, we need to change those in office who works against us.

There is a real need to change the state houses in order to get rid of the republican gerrymandering and have a real election which does not favor republicans. It is a goal we all need, to have Democrats making Supreme Court nominations.

[MineralMan]

8. Thanks. Yes, even just encouraging friends and associates to

get out and cast a ballot can be a huge help. People who respect you will take your encouragement to the polls with them.

[Rex]

9. I didn't know that was in contention here.

Learn something new everyday.

[MineralMan]

11. In many of my GOTV threads, I hear from people who are

telling me that they vote so there's no need for more threads about GOTV. That's the reason for this OP today. I'm not trying to get DUers to vote. I'm trying to get DUers to get involved in GOTV efforts to bring others to the polls. Many DUers already do this, and some have explained how they do. Other DUers may not be involved. I hope to get more involved.

[Rex]

12. No need for more threads about GOTV? I say there cannot be enough of them!

Strange that someone would want you to stop posting about getting out to vote! I'm all for it! Will be driving people to the voting booths. Wendy Davis needs every single vote she can get!

Good luck in getting more involved in voting!

[MineralMan]

13. Thanks for helping get people to the polls.

There can never be too much GOTV!

[Rex]

14. I think we as a country have a very low turnout - that has to change.

People simply cannot afford to sit at home and not participate in the electoral process. Sheer madness, thanks for pushing GOTV despite some people telling you to stop with the threads.

The doom and gloomers just got to get over themselves.

[MineralMan]

15. If every eligible Democratic voter actually went to the polls

in every election, this country would change dramatically within two election cycles. I wish we all understood that. It still wouldn't be a perfect society, but it would be a helluva lot better.

[riqster]

17. A good OP and a good clarification.

[MineralMan]

18. Thanks for your K&R. I know you're doing everything

you can to help with GOTV, and that's really appreciated.

[riqster]

21. Back atcha!