Political High

We’re less than 48 hours until election day 2008 (November 4, 2008).  What should you be doing?

Frankly, much like studying for a test, it’s better that you went to class, kept up with your reading, and turned in your assignments on time.  You can try to cram, but hey, good luck.  Preparation, planning, and money wins elections.

But just in case, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Report any large campaigns immediately or within the period required by your state or locality.  You don’t want to get fined for not reporting properly or having bad publicity about the same.
• Make sure you’ve implemented as much of your campaign plan (another future post) as you possibly can.
• If you have money left over, who can you now target with a lit drop.  (You need boots on the ground now–it’s too late for mail.)
• If you have access to an opt-in email list, you might consider a GOTV email.
• Make sure you have all your volunteer shifts covered for GOTV, palm card hander-outers, and poll watchers.
• Dress the polling place.  In other words, get your signs up within the legal distance (if allowed by local or state law).
• Stage visibilities on key intersections.
• Relax.  Understand that you are what makes democracy work.

Good luck election day!

I’m driving down the street last night in Sioux Falls.  It’s raining like crazy.  It’s cold.  It’s dark.

I come to one of the busiest intersections in the city.  On one corner, probably ten high school and college aged kids are standing there, waving signs, and yelling at cars.

My first thought?  Who is that stupid and crazy to stand out in the cold, the dark, and the rain and yell at cars?

The answer?  Supporters of a cause I feel very passionate about.

I was embarrassed and a little concerned there would be ten new cases of colds and flu today.

The young people were doing what is called a “visibility.”  You get people with signs that say “Honk if you support/oppose X”.

I think close to the election, they can be a good tactic, particularly for candidates and issues that are down ballot.

However, I also think discretion is the better part of valor.

The volunteers on the corner in Sioux Falls were real troupers for their cause.   That is admirable.  But some adult–like the campaign manager or organizer in charge of the activity–probably should have pulled them off the corner when it started raining like Noah’s Arc days and told them to go to the nearby Starbucks and get a latte.

Volunteers are golden.  Don’t take advantage of their goodwill and dedication.  I think this was the case last night.

There’s a fine line between insanity and yelling at cars in the rain.  My friends supporting my issue may have just crossed it last night.