What skills do you bring to a campaign? How can I help?

[alfredo]

You want to help a campaign but not sure what to do.

Here's a list of duties:

Data entry. You do Exel? We have a job for you. Good data is important.

Fund raising You good at smoozing? You not afraid of asking for money? Know the right people?

phone banking. If you were a teenager at one time you can do it.

precinct captain or other supervisory work. You know how to keep volunteers involved and happy?

Canvassing is for those who don't mind a bit of exercise. Good people skills a plus. Good job for someone with retail sales experience.

Tabling and leafleting Good people skills and not afraid of sitting outside in the heat on a day you'd rather be watching TV in your air conditioning.

letter writing. You good at writing letters to the editor? Can you get the point across in a few words?

Man the phone at headquarters.

Bring snack food and bottled water for office workers and canvassers. Make their lives a bit easier.

I used to pop into headquarters and empty the trash and do general clean up.

You have an old computer you aren't using. See if party headquarters needs it for the campaign season.

No skills, no time, terrible with people? Can you write a check?



A good way to get involved is to contact you local DFA chapter. ( In Kentucky it is Change For Kentucky. ) They can direct you to the local party officials or to a specific campaign. You may want to work within the party, but if they haven't gotten their shit together, go with the DFA or a candidate of your choice.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

1. Good List!

Young or old. Robust health or a little frail. Introvert or extrovert. Great Taste or Less Filling. There's a role that anybody can play on a campaign -- the important thing is to make the commitment to get involved.

[alfredo]

2. Two hours on the telephone may be what makes the difference

between the Democrats winning or losing in your district.

Hauling around yard signs on a Saturday, or taking the elderly to the polls on election day is a worthy endeavor.

[UrbScotty]

9. It may make the difference statewide as well

Look at Florida in 2000 or the Washington Governor's race in 2004.

[alfredo]

10. They say democracy dies from inattention. It doesn't take much

to make a difference. Unlike the corporate world political activism is not coercive. We never forget that we are there of our own volition.

[Catchawave]

3. Great List !

This forum is going to come in handy the next few months :patriot:

[sybylla]

4. That is a very helpful list

I'm armpit deep in my first campaign trying to keep my head above the quicksand. I'm registered for Wellstone training in a couple of weeks but in the mean time, I think posts like this will give me ideas for directing volunteers and working campaign strategy.

Thanks to everyone who voted for this forum!

[alfredo]

5. Great, get all the training you can get.

Don't burn yourself out too early. Delegate what you can. Find a very energetic wingman that will provide energy on days you may lack energy.

Look at the DFA site to see if they have the night school training materials. http://tools.democracyforamerica.com/nightschool/

[sybylla]

12. I'm working on it

I've been active in politics for 5 years. I'm not an "activist" however. Knocking on doors and canvassing is not for me. But I'm working hard behind the scenes in a small campaign for state office. It's my nearly full-time job and I'm having a blast. (Had trouble finding work the past year so I thought I'd use my powers for good) We have several energetic volunteers to do the door knocking and cold calling. I imagine August, September & October will be crush time and I'll certainly take your advice.

[dragonlady]

6. Enjoy your time at Wellstone

It is a fantastic experience.

[sybylla]

11. Thanks

I take it you've been to one. I've wanted to go since they started but they've either been out of state or on weekends I couldn't go. I'm looking forward to it and wish it wasn't so far off.

[murielm99]

7. Walk in parades with your local or county

Democrats, too.

Let people know that we are out here.

[alfredo]

8. Visibility is important. We have to reintroduce ourselves to

the general public to dispel the lies told about us by the Republicans.

[wildeyed]

13. I love canvassing and tabling.

I stay at home with two little kids, so for me, it is great fun to get out and talk to grown-ups about interesting stuff like voting rights. I know that is a little bit eccentric, but hey, whatever, right?

I think your gonzo trash clean up idea is great, too. I bet they are in with love you at HQ!

[alfredo]

14. I used to own a janitorial service, so it is no big

thing for me. They also appreciated the 2 liter bottles of Dr Pepper, the pizza, the toilet paper, the sun screen, the old printer I no longer needed, the old telephone, the clipboards, they packing tape, and paper cutter.

You do what you can.


Thanks for doing the grunt work. Many people are too shy to meet the public.

[geniph]

15. Every campaign office will adore you

if you appear on a Saturday morning they're planning on doorbelling with a dozen doughnuts. They will adore you even more if you show up Saturday afternoon, when the footsore and tired volunteers start to trickle in, and you've brought them a pizza and a case of soda!

[alfredo]

16. A case or two of bottled water to give to the walkers

would be good too.

[JNelson6563]

17. Great thread! Bravo!!

All of the things listed in this thread are excellent! We are always grateful, either at Dem HQ or the campaigns I'm working on, when anyone wants to help in anyway.

I'd also like to add, if you are unable to help out in the ways listed and are too pressed financially to write a check, here are two things you can do instead: 1. Offer to display a lawn sign for candidate(s) of your choice, that's free mini-billboard display space for them. 2. Write letters to the editor. Find out how often you can submit them and if there are words per letter limits and get to it.

Cheers :toast:

Julie