What is it with 'driving people to the polls?'

[cally]

Maybe it's California or my own experience, but I've never had to drive anyone to the polls. :shrug: That's not completely true because I've been asked to arrange rides for the homeless shelter and senior center. I usually just make the GOTV election day phone calls. After many, many elections I've never been asked to drive someone.

The reason I'm asking, is that most volunteers want to drive people to the polls. :wtf: They seem to think that's the most important task for them. I have to explain other tasks and why they are important. So where does everyone get that driving someone to the polls is the most important task. I don't think that's what they are saying but that's the task they think they can help with.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

1. Well

here in my city we could get as many as 1400 more votes with our 20 vans (15 passenger) running at max loads for 12 hours on election day.

1400 more votes is nothing to sniff at, is it?

We are picking up poor people who don't have transportation and elderly and disabled who otherwise wouldn't vote.

We'll also pick up people who just don't feel like driving (the cost of gas IS high, every little bit helps).

What's wrong with it?

[cally]

6. Wow...it's not the same here at all

The old adage is that all politics are local and I do believe it

[osaMABUSh]

2. I've driven people to the polls - for some reason I find it fun

I guess I can pretend to be a Taxi driver for a day.

However, what do you think is an important job to do on election day? I'm doing something so might as well do what helps the most.

[cally]

7. I mentioned this because that's not what we need HERE

I'm asking because I want to understand what is happening elsewhere. It's probably the most important job where you live. If not, be flexible when you hear back from your organizers.

[cally]

10. A second response...why we need to ask what the campaigns

needs help.

We're in panic mode here at our local campaign. We're all calling the long lists of volunteers. We had a mixup with the calling lists on election day and we need volunteers to help us organize lists. (It's much more confusing but not important for my point) So my point is just to call the local campaign.

[RoyGBiv]

3. It's California ...

Here in Oklahoma there are people that lives miles from their polling place, don't have cars, and no mass transit.

And then there are the people that need more than a friendly reminder to go vote. They just find other things to do unless someone shows up and goes with them. A lot of people, for various reasons, don't like going anywhere alone.

[LoZoccolo]

4. Maybe it's the only one they know about.

I'm thinking of going to Iowa on election day, but other than canvassing, I don't know what else I'm gonna do there but drive people to the polls.

Now see where I live, there's three polling places within a block of me, and I think my precinct is like four or five towers.

[Mandate My Ass]

5. because otherwise they wouldn't vote?

and every vote counts? :shrug:

[Lorien]

8. I'm driving people to the polls

because A.) we have far more requests for rides to the polls than we have drivers, and
B.) I suck at phone banking and canvassing because I'm a crappy public speaker (I was badly speech impaired until I was in my late teens and underwent extensive surgery to correct the problem. I'm still a very self concious speaker).

I'm doing data entry too. Man, I wish we had your "problem" with excess driver volunteers. Gas is expensive, I'm broke, but we won't have the votes unless I drive!

[cally]

11. Want to know my other "problem" You'll hate me

Many of my 'volunteers' are going to swing states. Most others are making swing state calls.

We still need to win California and win the popular vote.

[Hello_Kitty]

9. I see what you're saying because

I volunteer here in AZ, where we have been signing up volunteers for the past several months to phone, canvass, and do admin stuff. We consider the most worthwhile activities to reach out to voters. For our GOTV in the final days of the campaign we've had a mad rush of people who want to drive on Election Day. I think these are people who haven't gotten involved up until now and think that driving people would somehow be 'momentous'. I say fine, if we have people who need a ride to the polls we'll call you. Otherwise, please consider helping out with the many other important tasks we have to do in these last, crucial days.

[cally]

12. Thank you...that's exactly what I'm learning

Driving folks to the polls is important but we have many other tasks.