Good news: For people without cell phones or free minutes, we now have cell phones and ‘Skype’ connections available for use on a first-come-first-served basis!
Mega-Phone Bank Launched: All Callers Needed Now
During the final week of this historic election, the Obama campaign needs each of us to step up to the largest voter mobilization effort in history. The campaign has designated San Rafael a Mega-Phone Bank, which means they’ll be orchestrating our calls directly from Chicago, shifting from state to state based on real-time strategy.
For the final 4-day push, the campaign is asking its phone banks in California and other assured states to provide ALL the get-out-the-vote calling to Swing States—freeing all on-the-ground volunteers to walk precincts. It’s a brilliant and unprecedented strategy empowering each of us to have a hand in achieving the change we need for our country. For San Rafael and Marin, it means doubling our number of phone calls for the final four days.
To provide that support, we’ve expanded shifts again and added an Auxiliary Phone Bank five minutes from the office in a spacious, quiet home with free parking. Please sign up for specific days and shifts in advance for either the HQ Office or the Auxiliary location. The links are below. Each link allows you to sign up for multiple events and shifts at each location through the remainder of the election. Please come as often as you can and stay as long as you can. And bring your friends. We need every voice to make this work.
If everyone stays for at least a full shift and makes at least 50 calls, we’ll meet the campaign’s goals and deliver this election. We especially need callers for the early and late shifts, which are also when we reach the most voters. Remember, through the gyrating polls and continuous spin, history is not yet in our hands—but it is within reach. YES, WE CAN! Yes, we must! Dial, baby, dial! (And don’t forget your cell phone and charger.)
Questions to Tamra Peters and Bill Carney at peterscarney@comcast.net.
Marin Democratic Headquarters, 1344 Fourth St. (near D St.).
Sign up for a shift: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gpr8cm.
Tuesday, October 28. 5-8.
Wednesday, October 29. 3:30-8. (Barack Obama’s televised speech at 8:00.)
Thursday,
October 30. 5-8. (Senator Barbara Boxer and others in person, 5:30-6:15.)
Saturday, November 1. Shifts 8-10; 10-1; 1-3; 3-5; 5-8.
Sunday, November 2. Shifts 10-1; 1-3; 3-5; 5-8.
Monday, November 3. Shifts 8-10; 10-1; 1-3; 3-5; 5-8.
Tuesday, November 4. ELECTION DAY. Shifts 6-8AM; 8-10; 10-1; 1-3; 3-5; 5-7. (Election Night Party starts at 8:00)
Marin Democratic Auxiliary Location, 166 Greenwood Ave.
Sign up for a shift: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gpr8k2.
Saturday, November 1. Shifts 11-1; 1-3:30; 3:30-6.
Sunday, November 2. Shifts 11-1; 1-3:30; 3:30-6.
Tuesday, November 4. ELECTION DAY. Shifts 8-10AM; 10-1; 1-3; 3-5; 5-8.
Additional Calling Throughout Marin
Check the “events” section of www.mybarackobama.com, or http://mybarackobama.com/page/event/search_simple for more details about the San Rafael and other Swing State calling events. Enter your zip code and search radius, then scroll down through the search results to the event you want and click on the sign-up tab. There are phone banks in Sausalito, Corte Madera, San Anselmo, San Rafael, Terra Linda, Novato and Petaluma.
Novato Swing State Calling: Tuesday, October 28, 5-7PM, home venue. Details and sign up at http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/phonebank/gsxjwy. Questions to Doc Hughes at drhch@aol.com, 250-8185, or Lois Claridge at lois5052@aol.com, 897-3626.
Calls & Cocktails in Sausalito: Wednesday, October 29, 5:30 – 8:30PM, 1505 Bridgeway #206 (near Bee St.). Wifi available; bring laptop if possible. Questions to Rachel Ginis at rfginis@yahoo.com. Details and sign up at http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/phonebank/gprqw9.
Student Swing State Calling & Pizza in San Rafael: Wednesday, October 29, 3:30 – 8:00 PM, Students for Barack Obama. Marin Democratic Headquarters, 1344 Fourth St. Wifi available. Contact Elijah Goldberg, 823-9508 or egoldberg@studentsforbarackobama.com.
Phone Banking in Sausalito: Thursday, October 30, 6-8PM (data entry until 9PM), 1505 Bridgeway, # 206 (near Bee St.). Wifi available. Questions to Beth Hennessy at hennessyasia@yahoo.com.
Details and sign up at http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/phonebank/gprt7t.
Dial, Baby, Dial—Get Out the Vote Phone Banking in Sausalito: Saturday, November 1. Shifts at 10, 12, 2 and 4. 1505 Bridgeway, # 206 (near Bee St.). Wifi available. Details and sign up at http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/phonebank/gprwrk. Questions to Mary Cosgrove, 381-7261 or marycosgrove666@gmai.com.
Two More Days to Go Swing State Phone Banking in Sausalito: Sunday, November 2. Shifts at 10, 12, and 2. 1505 Bridgeway, # 206 (near Bee St.). Wifi available. Details and sign up at http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/phonebank/gprwj5. Questions to Debbie Goodman 497-6506.
Final Push Swing State Phone Banking in Sausalito: Monday, November 3, 2-8PM. 1505 Bridgeway, # 206 (near Bee St.). Wifi available. Questions to Bethanie Gilbert at abay2315@pacbell.net. Details and sign up at http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/phonebank/gprljx.
Get-Out-the-Vote Swing State Phone Banking in Sausalito: Tuesday, November 3, 8AM - 4PM. 1505 Bridgeway, # 206 (near Bee St.). Wifi available. Details and sign up at http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/phonebank/gpr4qz.
Petaluma Swing State Calling: Home of “Dial, baby, dial!” Multiple venues and times, including Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday and Sunday. Details and sign up on the Obama web site; questions to Linda Carpenter Sexauer at linda@mojoluthier.com.
Keep Calling “Neighbor to Neighbor” from Home Anytime
Just go to www.mybarackobama.com, create a password for yourself, and look for the “Make calls” or “Neighbor to Neighbor” icons. Or click “Action Center,” “I’ll talk to anyone,” “Neighbor to Neighbor” and “Call a Battleground.” Or link to http://my.barackobama.com/n2n. You’ll be given a list of names to call in a key Swing State, along with a simple script and instructions. You can fill in the responses directly on-line or print out the names and work off-line, in which case you have two days to complete the calls. You can be up and calling within 5 minutes, whenever you want, 10AM to 9PM, every day through the election. Spanish speakers needed to sign up at “Neighbor to Neighbor” to call Spanish-speaking voters.
Last Chance to Organize a Home Phone Bank
Expand your impact (and bolster your courage and enjoyment) by inviting family, friends and neighbors to bring over their cell phones (and laptops if you have Wifi) to join the calling. For the final week, the campaign has targeted Wednesday, October 29, for Last Call for Change house parties in concert with Senator Obama’s 30-minute national TV presentation. Link at http://my.barackobama.com/lastcallparty. For assistance here in Marin, contact Marin Team Coordinator Doreen Gounard at dorgou@gmail.com.
Last Chance to Travel to a Swing State
Senator Obama has asked that as many Northern Californians as possible volunteer in Colorado for the Final 4-Day Get-Out-the-Vote Weekend. This is the crucial ground effort that will deliver this crucial state! Go to http://my.barackobama.com/cometoCO. If you can’t make it to Colorado, join the campaign in Las Vegas for the Final 4-Day GOTV Weekend at http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/nvdfc. To travel to other battleground states, visit http://mybarackobama.com/page/content/statepages and select the state of your choice. Sign up at the state’s “Drive for Change” link, then call the local campaign office nearest to your preferred destination.
Protect Votes
The campaign has made it easy for anyone exercise their right to vote by going to http://www.VoteForChange.com to verify voter registration, find a polling location, learn about early voting, etc. To protect those rights on Election Day, especially in swing states, lawyers and law students are needed now to join the Voter Protection Campaign at http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/vpchome.
Act locally
President Obama will need a strong popular vote mandate and a supportive Congress. You can phone or travel to swing congressional districts within California (contact Mary Renaud at maryre@comcast.net). Or for other volunteer options, contact the Marin Democratic Headquarters at 485-5366 or www.marindemocrats.org.
Sign up at www.mybarackobama.com
As should be clear by now, the Obama web site is the hub of Swing State activities this year. Sign on to the site today. Please activate the “receive email” box and go to “Groups” and sign up for the “California 6th Congressional District” group for Swing State and other communications.
Your cell phone and travel can help win this election
With Barack Obama’s transformational leadership and organizational prowess, this year’s calling and travel are easy and effective. Swing State actions form the centerpiece of the Obama campaign in California. All that’s needed is your energy and enthusiasm. Use those ‘free weekend,’ ‘anytime’ or other minutes on your cell phone to turn out Obama voters in key Swing States. Or travel there to go door-to-door. These are the most effective things a Californian can do to assure a new direction for our country.
“Can you make phone calls to potential supporters in key battleground states? What each of us does -- or doesn't do -- in the next few weeks will determine the outcome of this election. And the most effective way to reach potential supporters is to share our message of change with a personal contact.”
--Barack Obama
Marin Swing State Actions” is prepared by Bill Carney, in coordination with Tamra Peters, Doreen Gounard, Lance Uyehara, Sherry Reson and Hoa-Long Tam. If you have questions or comments, let us know at williamcarney@comcast.net.