Fall is in the air, pumpkin spice is back, the Seahawks are rocking CenturyLink Field, and election season is again upon us. I try to avoid sending extra email but there are so many important dates coming up I want to make sure you are all in the loop and ready to go for GOTV this fall!
We have two more upcoming trainings. These trainings are open to anyone but the content is geared towards PCOs. (Bring a friend!)
- Votebuilder/miniVAN for PCOs - Saturday October 7th- Northgate Library - 1 - 3 pm
- PCO 101- Saturday October 21st - Northgate Library - 1:30 - 3:30 pm
We will try and video all trainings and post them online, in addition to adding more helpful resources to our website, so make sure to check
46dems.org/pco for more information.
MARK YOUR
CALENDAR:
GOTV KICK-OFF IS
SATURDAY OCT. 14TH
FROM 9AM - 9PM
Please plan in advance to carve out a few minutes on Oct. 14th to pick up your walk packet. We will be handing out materials ALL DAY at the home of Andrzej Montano located at 3904 NE 105th St. Seattle, WA 98125 (the corner of 105th and 39th) in Meadowbrook. We expect all PCOs and Acting PCOs to commit to walking their precinct, either themselves or by committee, or finding someone to make sure their precinct is covered. We are committed to reaching our goal of knocking on 15,000 doors in the 46th and the sooner we reach our goal, the sooner we can double down on our efforts to flip the state senate in the 45th and 31st LDs.
Q: I'm going to be out of town in late October, when do I need to have the voterguides distributed by?
A: You can distribute voterguides from the day you pick up your packet (Oct. 14th) right up until Election Day (Nov. 7th). While we highly recommend getting your precinct done as early as possible, many voters wait to the last minute to turn in their ballots so it's always useful no matter when you find the time. As long as you have a few hours over those three weeks, you should be fine.
Q: I've never canvassed before or I'm nervous about canvassing, is it possible to have someone from the district show me the ropes?
A: Yes! We are launching a buddy program to pair experienced canvassers with new or nervous canvassers. Also, sometimes it's just more fun to canvass with a friend! If you would like to have a buddy assigned to you or if you would like to volunteer to be a buddy. Please e-mail me at [email protected].
Q: I am able to walk my precinct, but I don't have transportation to come pick up my packet. Is it possible to have it dropped off for me?
A: Yes! Although we really encourage everyone who is able to come on the 14th to set aside a few minutes to swing by, we fully appreciate that that is more accessible for some than others. If you are committed to walking your precinct, I am committed to doing whatever I can to support you. Give me a heads up and I can plan accordingly.
Q: I picked up my packet but I will not be able to walk my precinct/finish my list, what should I do?
A: Shoot me an email ([email protected]), call me (206-201-1714), or send me a text. We will work with you to see what the best course of action is on a case by case basis. Remember, walk packets do not have to be finished in a day or even a week, I understand better than most what it means to be a busy professional with a multitude of commitments. I personally will probably have to break my precinct up over a few weekday evenings in order to finish my list working around my work schedule. Also, remember the "C" in PCO is for committee! You aren't expected to go it alone. Start thinking about like-minded family, friends, neighbors, etc. who can help you divide and conquer your turf. Meet a passionate dem looking to get involved while you are door-belling? Sounds like you now have the beginnings of a committee!
Q: I will not be able to walk my precinct between Oct. 14th and Nov. 7th, what should I do?
A: While we expect PCOs to walk their precincts as part of our get out the vote effort, I understand that that's not always feasible. Life happens! However, the sooner you let me know the better. I appreciate any help you can give me to find someone else to help cover that neighborhood. In many cases I may know of another member of the 46th or volunteer who might be willing to step in. It really helps to communicate early and you will save me the follow up calls/texts/e-mails trying to determine your status.
Q: There are check boxes on my walk list. Should I be taking notes? What do I do with this information when I am done walking my precinct?
A: Yes! We are collecting all information gathered in the course of this canvass. Please keep track of who you are talking to and what their responses are, either directly on your walk lists, or in miniVAN. Please remember to "sync" your data if you are using minivan. Completed walk lists can be brought to our general membership meetings in October and November. Information is power, and we need all the good data we can get to prepare for 2018!
Q: What is miniVAN and how to I get/use it?
A: miniVAN is an app you can download on most smartphones and tablets where you can upload your walk list, map your precinct, record your data, and sync your information back to me. This helps not only me, but all the local campaigns get real time feedback on who has voted, who plans to vote, etc. It also saves us from having a mountain of data entry after the election. I highly, highly recommend everyone take ten minutes before Oct. 14th to download miniVAN and play around with it. There is a step by step powerpoint on our webpage that will walk you through downloading and using miniVAN with easy to follow screenshots. We will also be discussing miniVAN at all PCO trainings and really digging in to it at the training on Oct. 7th.
Q: How do I get access to votebuilder?
A: Send an e-mail request to [email protected] and I will grant access on a rolling basis. Please keep in mind that once I send the link to activate your account, you need to open the link within 48 hours or I will have to resend. Through votebuilder, you can see information on registered voters in your precinct, launch phonebanks, create walklists, etc. For the pre-general election GOTV canvass, all the lists and information you will need will be provided to you in your walk packet. However, many of you might want to have access to votebuilder to follow along with the trainings or for future use so I'm happy to set that up for you.
Q: I finished walking my precinct is there anything else I can do to help?
A: YES YES YES! We are the Fighting 46th and if the Republicans are too scared to bring the fight to us, we are going to bring the fight to them! The time is now to go on offense! There are two key state senate races we will be organizing days of action in leading up to the general election: Manka Dingra in the 45th and the Michelle Rylands in the 31st. We will be sending out follow up e-mails with more details and updating the calendar on the 46th website (http://www.46dems.org/calendar). You can also reach out to me or our action day coordinator Katy Ozog at [email protected].
Happy Canvassing!
In Solidarity,
Anna Borris
PCO Coordinator/E Board Member At-Large
[email protected]
206-201-1714
How do you change voters' minds? Have a conversation.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/10/magazine/how-do-you-change-voters-minds-have-a-conversation.html
