How do we reach people to volunteer in Democratic elctions?

[demnan]

I'll submit this letter, if you guys have any thoughts on this, please let me know. I admit I haven't visited this forum before so please indulge me by linking me with stuff that has been posted before. Thanks!

My Get Out the Volunteers Speech for the Young Democrats

Dear Young Democrats,

When I do door-to-door and phone canvassing all I see are people who are at least 40 years old. Teenagers, young adults, come join us. If you can’t vote yet, or you don't have a full time job, you can still make a difference. Please join with us to help make a better world for you! That’s why most of us are out there – we love you and we don’t want you to have to fight in a pointless Middle Eastern war.

With my aching knee I still went out today (I'm 49). There are no young people involved! And that bothers me. It frustrates me. Help us stop the mad road the Bush administration is taking us. With a Democratic Congress we can stop it. We can keep them from starting a war with Iran and furthering the disastrous wars we have now in Iraq and Afghanistan – the way we’re going there’s going to be a draft! Many of you will die needlessly because there is a total control of Republicans in government.

Support your local Democrat in Congressional races, that’s House and Senate races. While you’re at it, help the county, city and state races as well and protect your reproductive rights and educational standards. Goggle your local Democratic Party headquarters – example “Prince William County Democrats” will lead you right to the Prince William County, VA Democrats site and you can sign up and volunteer and get directions to the Headquarters.

You’ll meet a lot of nice people and you’ll work hard but you’ll also learn how to be a good civic citizen and understand that we don’t have a Democracy unless we participate. Hey, your parents will dig you for it too, even if they don't agree with you. My mother respected me for my first convassing effort when I was fourteen, that was for McGovern against Nixon. She voted for Nixon but she supported my efforts by driving me to my canvassing place. You've read in History how that one turned out. Nothing worth working for is easy. We’re working for you, please come work with us.

(usually some contact info to follow) let me know I can post specifics.

[LiberalEsto]

1. Some feedback

The letter is too long. Most young people have grown up in an era of cell phones and instant messaging, so they won't have the patience to finish reading it. I have daughters aged 23 and 20, so I have some experience in this area. One of my daughters canvassed for Grassroots and worked for Kerry in 2004. The people she met are still close and visit each other constantly, even though they live in different states.

How about something like this?


Help save America, restore democracy, and make new friends while having fun.

Are you sick and tired of endless wars, unchecked global warming, rising college costs, and high gas prices? Why not DO something about it?

Join your local Democrats for an hour or two of campaign work and see how you can make a difference. Once you try it, you'll want to come back and do more. You don't have to make a huge time commitment. Along the way you will get to know people with similar interests and ideas. Get ready for the excitement of Election Night!

Check us out. We're the Democrats, rising up to help Americans.

[Realityhack]

2. One thing you might try

I know this works in person but I do not know of any studies done on letters. Anyway...

People often agree to do things if you try to get them to do more first. Start with 'commit 20 hours before the election' or '2 hours every saturday untill the election' then 'down-sell' to 'well how about comming out one saturday for 2 hours' or something similar.

When recruiting in person this gets far higher responce rates than just asking for the end request up front. Interestingly it has also been shown to result in higher rates of people who actuay plege to do it showing up.

[toadzilla]

3. I've tried to volunteer, no one calls me back...

I live in Maryland, am 24 years old and have submitted my contact information to both the Ben Cardin for Senate campaign, and the O'Malley for Governor campaign.
someone from Cardin's campaign did call me once and say that she would give my number to the person in charge of canvassing so i could go help, but i never heard from them, and that was at least 2 weeks ago. Also, I have yet to even hear from anyone involved in O'Malleys campaign. Its like they just use the online volunteer forms on their websites to collect email addresses.

Is there a better way to contact these people other than filling out the "volunteer" section on their websites? unfortunately my cell phone got run over by a car, so i no longer have the womans phone number whom i did hear from to call her back...



weee my first post, ive been lurking around here for forever...

[blueinchicago]

5. Just volunteered for MoveOn's Call for Change

They are mobilizing volunteers to call voters who vote Democrat but don't always vote in midterm elections to ask them to vote.

Here is the link:
http://pol.moveon.org/phone/volunteer/c4c.html

[sandyd921]

6. Try contacting your local or county

Democratic committee. I'm working with them in my state and our state and local party are coordinating all of the state campaigns. One way to get contact information for them is to go to your state's Dem website. Good luck to you. :hi:

[LSK]

7. just show up and say im here to do something

Thats what I did and everytime I show up, they have something for me.

[eggbeater]

4. suggestion

To the young voter, the war is not as big of a concern as it should be.
Bushco will be done in just a couple years, and if there is still a country to claim as our own, then the issues will be different.

Health care, education funding, environment,, things that will affect their life in the future are the things that need to be addressed with them.

to get their support, dont worry about the single shrubs, go for the whole landscaping.

[Jason101]

9. Trust me they will be concerned about the war.

I will bet any money that a draft is instituted in the next election cycle...women and men. They will be concerned. As for health care , education etc...I think we just need to support the kids in finding work, help raise the minimum wage to $20/hour and tax tax tax. We need more social programs. Perhaps the government needs to actually take hold over the universities to give the students some skills that they can use. Our SAT /ACT scores in the US are in the 30th percentile. Why...because schools cannot teach the undiciplined. If they are going to have a draft...lets get control of our youth from a very young age and shape their minds. They will learn from us what is right, how to vote, how to work and how to pay taxes.

[Jason101]

8. Are the young qualified to vote?

Do they really understand the issues? They are way too idealistic and kind hearted and really do not understand politics and issues. Even the ones that go to colleges can't read, do math etc. Many have been listening to jihaddists in the tenure track of the university. If we want to get these kids in a position where we can use them, let's keep them dumb and contributing to the tax base. The government needs the money...leave the voting to us.