why do I get the feeling that not many DUers are volunteering?

[LSK]

It just seems like a lot would rather just bitch in GD than talk about volunteering and MAKING IT HAPPEN next week.

I have spent 30 hours working for the Duckworth campaign in the past week.

Who else is doing the work?

[EFerrari]

1. I worked a couple of hours over the weekend,, put out some

signs and lit this week for local races and am phonebanking on Thursday. Not much but what I can do right now.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

2. I'm canvassing for Menendez this weekend.

I've also done the phonebanks a few times.

[tinfoil tiaras]

3. Nothing I can do in Mississippi

Mississippi was red (used to be blue if you count all the segregationist "Dixecrats"), is red and always will be red. Plus, the state official elections arent until next year. It's just judicial elections this year.

But, if it makes you feel any better, I did go to 16 Candles for Soldiers. Which is kinda like volunteering i guess....

[John Q. Citizen]

11. Your congressional election are this year. Here's something you can do;

not to make anyone feel better, but to win back the House and Senate. (OK, that would make me feel better!)

http://pol.moveon.org/phone/volunteer/c4c.html

Got a phone? Then you have what you need to tip this election over the top.

We're in a dead heat, with more races up for grabs than anyone thought possible. But there are millions of people out there -- people who share our concerns about the war in Iraq and the Republicans' failures here at home -- who aren't yet planning to vote.

Our friends at MoveOn.org Political Action have a plan to make sure that everyone who's hungry for change gets to the polls. They've taken the voter lists from the most important races in the country and found infrequent voters who are likely to vote for Democrats if we can get them to the polls. It's all online with a simple tool that makes it easy to call these key voters. They're aiming to make over a million of these turnout calls in the next 5 days -- and with races being decided by as little as a hundred votes, your participation could make all the difference.

MoveOn has urgently asked the JohnKerry.com community for help reaching these crucial voters in these final days and hours. Can you take some time this weekend and next Tuesday to make some calls to unlikely voters?

Sign up to bring your cell phone and make calls in good company from a "calling party."

Or sign up to make calls from home. http://pol.moveon.org/phone/volunteer/c4c.html

Wondering if these calls are effective? We did too. It turns out that, working with a top Yale researcher, MoveOn actually tested this program in a primary election this spring. These calls had a huge, measurable impact on voter turnout -- hearing from real people like you means a lot more to potential voters than hearing from a paid staff member who speaks in a monotone.

And there's something else important going on here. For decades, politics has been dominated by big money and lots of ads. But thanks to folks like you, all that is changing. And this year, the winning margin could come from real, person-to-person contact -- not some Swift Boat-style smear campaign.

One week from now, we will have a historic opportunity to make change -- to finally hold this administration accountable and turn this country around. But to do it, we'll all need to pitch in. Can you join MoveOn's "Call for Change" effort and help make it happen?

Sign up to bring your cell phone and make calls in good company from a "calling party."

Or sign up to make calls from home.

Two years ago, an unprecedented number of Americans voted for my campaign for change. Next week, if we can help get those folks out to vote again, we'll win. Thank you for joining this important effort.

Sincerely,

John Kerry

http://pol.moveon.org/phone/volunteer/c4c.html

[tinfoil tiaras]

12. No democrat is running against the guy in my district

The incumbents are basically having this race handed to them, democrats and republicans.

Don't want to be pessimistic but that's just the way it is...now if we had a STRONG dem candidate, i would totally support him/her.

[xxqqqzme]

4. I volunteer about 10 hours a week

@ Dem HQs; about 10 hours @ the Brandt campaign office; I walked my precinct last weekend and plan to do it again next weekend. I'm working a polling place on Tuesday. And I've volunteered @ the local swap meet staffing the Democratic Party booth. I think I've done as much as I can.

[notadmblnd]

5. I've been working for a local politician running for State House

since before the primaries. I'll be working the polls next Tuesday and hopefully celebrating with them Tuesday night. Plus I never pass up an opportunity to to rant to a wingnut. Oh, and I piss Righties off with my bumper stickers (still waiting for one to hit me, :evilgrin:)So, I think I do my part. Could I do more, probably.

[murielm99]

6. I just got back from a meeting.

Our county Democrats are deciding where best to use our UAW volunteer poll watchers. We discussed which precincts still need to be walked, and who will call voters who have not made it to the polls before 4:00 on election day.

I am a precinct committeeman. I walk and call the people in my precinct. I am a deputy registrar, and the treasurer of our county Democrats. I do the campaign finance disclosure for our committee, and volunteer four hours a week at our headquarters.

I am taking the day off on election day, because it will be a busy day for all of us here.

In the summer, my husband and I walk in the local parades, and man informational tables at some events.

We both work hard year round for the Democratic party. We do this whether or not it is an election year.

Not everyone has the opportunity to do everything that we do. But if every Democrat would attend a monthly meeting now and then, they would find out where help is needed. Sometimes volunteering a few times a year is enough. Sometimes giving a few dollars to sponsor an event or to help a candidate is all that some people have the time or talent to accomplish.

DU is a useful outlet for many of us. It has helped me with research. DU has helped me write better LTTEs, and it has helped me express myself better in arguments. I need this place. Don't begrudge those who like to come here to vent. I bet many of them are working, too.

[keepCAblue]

7. I'm an election inspector

been training this week and have been calling others to get them to sign up as poll workers.

We've got to get on the "inside" during this election if we want to effectively monitor any irregularities. I'm also signed up with Pollworkers for Democracy to report any of my observations.

[applegrove]

8. I find DU slower than usual. I think lots of people are out helping getting out

the vote.

[peace13]

9. I have volunteered locally

and will work at the polls in Ohio on Tuesday. It is better not to judge at any rate. Everyone does the best they can. On that note I had a caller this evening that said she was polling for the Dems and when I asked her where she was calling from she hung up on me. Some people are better off not volunteering! Peace, Kim

[Jason101]

10. We are the intellecutuals - We pay to get the work done

I support the cause by educating. I rely on my politicians to make the money and pay the bills. Locally we pay for the drivers to drive AND round up voters to take them to the polls. We have even expanded this year to provide rides and lunch/dinner for the early voting on select days. Our campaign is going very well. We ARE supporting the cause.

[2QT2BSTR8]

13. I beg to differ..at least I know that the activity in Dallas is strong

One question that I have though, and I just do not know where else to post this to get an answer. Can anyone advise me on how I could participate in exit polling for my area? Do you have to pre-register? I just saw the HBO special last night after being out of town, and tv/computer/cell range for the weekend, and I am going out with my video camera, both of my photo cameras, and 3 dictation recorders.

Do I just stand outside and ask people how they voted? Is there "official" paperwork that this has be tabulated on?

Any help would be great appreciated.

[torrentprime]

14. You mean besides $$?

I've donated, this year, north of 4 digits to various candidates. I know money isn't everything, but I like to think that a lot of these races became competitive because of donations from the netroots.
But I did some moveon phonebanking on Saturday too.

[TheModernTerrorist]

15. I've been volunteering since June.

Or maybe it was March?

I don't remember, but it's been a while. :-)