The election is almost upon us. Once again, in the hearts of many rural progressives comes a darker shading of October doubt and guilt. Are we going to lose? Have I done enough? Is it too late? Will all those angry 22-year-old women vote?
Here are a few things you can do that can still make a difference. If they seem small-scale, that’s the point. Remember that Tom Daschle lost his Senate seat because townships he once carried nicely came in with just a few handfuls of votes less than his historic margin up and down the James River Valley.
Don’t worry about what will happen in other states or counties. There’s still time to nudge the numbers where you live by a handful.
Even one or two more votes would help.
Can you name one or two baby boomer women or women under 25, women who are angry about Dodd, i.e., the Supreme Court decision? Nothing fancy required here. Talk to them on the phone or in the grocery store. Double-check where they’re at on the issues, then make sure they know how to vote early. Email or text a follow-up. If you hit one who is enthusiastic, invite her to bring a friend along and get that friend’s name.
Nervous about it? On a 3 x 5 card, write out the opening line about your reason for calling. Take that card into the bathroom and shut the door. Practice saying your opening line out loud five times. Not four. Not six. Five.
Stumped for that opening line? Try this, and rework it in your own words:
“Hi, Darla. This is Jan. How you doing? Hey, I’ve been thinking about that whole abortion thing, and it just makes me angry, so I thought I’d see how my friends feel about it….”
“I’m surprised how many people don’t know that they don’t have to wait until Election Day. They can just go to the Auditor’s Office in the courthouse and vote this week during normal business hours, like, 8 to 5.”
Listen for a bit, do some back and forth, and then say, “We’ve got to be sure everyone who feels the same way as us gets out and votes. Have you done that yet? IF YES: How did it go? IF NO: When do you usually vote?”
Or, where it fits, “I’m worried that so many people don’t know that they’ve changed the voting locations in our neighborhood. There’s a website. It used to be at Meadowbrook School, but now it’s at Pinedale School. You can look it up. Um, you live at 3102 North Washington, right? Well, you vote at the middle school this year…”.
Many states have a website that tells you where to vote when you type in an address.
If all is going well, ask if she knows anyone who could use a nudge. “Hey, this really matters. Would you be willing to call them? IF NO: Do you mind if I do?
If she agrees to call someone else, check back later to find out how it went.
Start with your most likely prospects or closest friends. This will help you build confidence and find the lines that work for you.
If you find one or two women under age 25 who are on fire about this, teach them how to do these calls.
Hesitant? Try just one call. If it works, you may just have doubled your vote. If your friend was certain to vote anyway, you’ve built some local energy on the issue, added to the sense of momentum, showing that we’re not alone in the wilderness, and begin a good habit for future Octobers of even-numbered years.
Here’s another cheap and fun trick. If you have a local candidate worthy of effort, grab half a dozen of their yard signs and/or make some of your own (keep it positive and not TOO snarky, and don’t be so cute that the meaning is unclear).
Saturday mornings are also good. Pick out a corner that gets some traffic, perhaps during your local rush minute. Round up a handful of friends to stand on that corner, wave the signs, and wave at the cars.
Perhaps you could have the candidate with you. If so, when a car goes by, make sure 2 or 3 people are standing right by the candidate and point at him or her in an over-the-top, laughing, smiling way as if to say, “This is Bob. Yes! The same Bob Johnson for District 34 as the sign I’m holding in my other hand.”
Keep count of how many honks and thumbs-ups you get.
Also, keep count of the one-finger salutes. When you get one of those, smile nicely and move on. Get ready for the next good citizen motoring by.
The revolution will not be televised. It will be won two or three people at a time.
- For bonus points now and after the election in rural America, please begin the long-term work of talking with single mothers one-by-one to make sure they understand that voting does matter, is worth the hassle, and can make a difference in their lives.
Non-voting single moms may be one of our largest pools of potential progressive voters, but it’s harder to identify and reach them. On education, health care, daycare, a living wage, affordable housing, income support, SNAP, women’s rights, and so much more, there is an unmistakable difference in the choices that single moms will find on the ballot. Those dots need to be connected. Too often, they’re not.