If any of you out there are interested, several of us will be heading out this Saturday morning to canvass for John Kerry in Ypsilanti’s Ward 3/Precinct 3… For those of you who didn’t read my last post on this subject, the idea is simple. Here’s a recap:
Only a third of the 1,500 registered voters in this precinct went to the polls in November of 2000.
Those that did go, voted overwhelmingly against Bush. (85% of the vote went to Gore and Nader.)
From this, we can assume that a good percentage of those 1,000 registered voters that didn’t vote are probably Democrats.
Through MoveOn, I have a list of 250 registered voters in Ward 3/Precinct 3 that either haven’t voted in the past, or haven’t voted consistently in the past.
Our goal on Saturday will be to knock on doors until we identify 100 of these individuals that describe themselves as strong Kerry supporters.
Then, on election day, we’ll make sure these 100 people get to the polls, even if we have to babysit their kids and arrange transportation.
So, to put it simply, Ypsilanti’s Ward 3/Precinct 3 is full of potential Democratic votes. I like to think of it like the oil beneath the Artic Wildlife Refuge that Bush keeps wanting to tap into. There are literally hundreds and hundreds of Democratic votes there, just beneath the surface, and all we have to do is find them.
Right now, I’ve got about half a dozen people lined up to participate on Saturday. The plan is to have people working in teams of two, with each team trying to contact about 50 people off the list. We’re estimating that if we begin at 10:30, we’ll be done by 2:00.
I should add that it’s actually quite pleasant work. So far, of the 40 or so people I’ve talked with, only three have indicated that they wouldn’t be voting for Kerry. (And they were all very nice about it.) And, if you still don’t like the idea of going door-to-door, we can team you up with someone who’s done it before. It’s fun…. In case you don’t believe me, check out Dirtgrain’s site. He’s gone out with me the past few days and it looks as though he’s enjoyed the experience.
Oh, and if you think that this isn’t necessary because recent polls are showing Kerry to be leading by three points or more, keep in mind that the Republicans have an anti-gay referendum on the ballot which is sure to bring out every registered evangelical voter in the state. If I were sure about Michigan, I’d be heading to Ohio to assist in their efforts. The truth is, however, we could still lose Michigan. If you have the time, commit to doing something. It doesn’t have to be here in Ypsi, or with me, but I really would like all of you to put in an hour talking with your neighbors, working at a phone bank, or doing something. Is that too much to ask for all the ball shaving and monkey taint humor I’ve given you over the course of the past few years?
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In case you’re interested, these are the streets we’ve got to visit on Saturday.
N Adams St (28 voters)
Arcade St (4 voters)
Babbitt St (1 voters)
Babbitt St (Ypsilanti) (1 voters)
Box 980353 215 N Prospect (1 voters)
Box 980456 211 N Washingto (1 voters)
Box 980471 108 Washtenaw Rd (1 voters)
Charles St (6 voters)
E Cross St (2 voters)
W Cross St (5 voters)
E Forest Ave (3 voters)
W Forest Ave (4 voters)
Garland St (3 voters)
N Grove St (20 voters)
N Hamilton St (7 voters)
Helen St (13 voters)
High St (1 voters)
N Huron St (3 voters)
N Lincoln St (6 voters)
Locust St (4 voters)
Maple St (12 voters)
E Michigan Ave (6 voters)
W Michigan Ave (23 voters)
Miles St (6 voters)
Oak Ct (1 voters)
Oak St (16 voters)
Olive St (2 voters)
Osband St (9 voters)
N Park St (12 voters)
Pearl St (9 voters)
Photo St (2 voters)
Prospect Ct (3 voters)
N Prospect Rd (20 voters)
N River St (23 voters)
Virginia Pl (7 voters)
N Washington St (50 voters)
N Washington St (Ypsilanti) (1 voters)
Young St (2 voters)
Washtenaw Rd (23 voters)
Emmet St (6 voters)
Norris St (5 voters)
North St (7 voters)
Mark, I can’t canvass this Saturday (though my husband’s doing some canvassing in Normal Park tonight), but if you’re looking for volunteers to help get people to the polls on election day, let me know. I can take up to 3 people at a time in my car and if the spouse is available he can accomodate 4.
Kristi (kricou@allmovie.com)
make sure to tell them to vote STANOWSKI as well….check out the seat of the revolution if you wanna see why you should NOT vote for Brian Mackie for washtenaw County Prosecutor
Kristi, thank you for the offer to help transport people. I’ll contact you sometime after this weekend to work out the details… And, if you think you might have an any time the day before the election to remind people, that would be great too. Thanks.