Help me out, is this stupid as hell, or am I the stupid one?

[asthmaticeog]

I got an email from a MoveOn member in my area inviting me to a phonebanking party at his house to call infrequent voters in a GOTV effort. A fine idea, and good on him for hosting it, BUT it's on Saturday night. Of Halloween weekend. One of two nights when practically everyone in the infrequent-voting demo (the younger end of that demo, anyway) is SURE to be out either partying their asses off or taking their kids to school gyms and rec centers for costume parties. As are probably a lot of the people who'd otherwise be inclined to help out with making calls. Can people just think these things through for like two fucking seconds?

:banghead:

[greatauntoftriplets]

1. I got one of those, too....

:eyes:

Since Saturday is the triplets' 6th birthday, there is no way in hell I could attend a MoveOn phonebanking event. I'd have three pissed-off children storming my bunker wailing for birthday gifts!

Bad choice of a weekend for this. Even if the "older" end of the demo is not at Halloween parties, many are out or otherwise busy on a Saturday night.

[asthmaticeog]

2. Ooof - I should clarify.

I specified the younger demo because as Americans get older they tend to be more frquent voters, and as such the need to target the 18-34 demo is greater for GOTV purposes. I didn't intend to imply that the 35+ demographic was made up of shut-ins with no lives. That would be depressing, as I'm 36...

[greatauntoftriplets]

3. I know you didn't....

And what you say about older voters is very true. My mother voted pretty much up until the end. She didn't in 2004, because she didn't like either candidate for president. Don't tell anyone, but I did think of getting a write-in ballot for her and voting twice. But I didn't.

O8)

[SOteric]

4. Wait. Do these two choices have to be mutually exclusive?

[Kat45]

5. I got the same email, and that never occurred to me.

Of course, I'm not a family person so I wouldn't be particularly aware of times that people are out with their kids. If they're calling early evening, they could probably reach the younger folks who don't have kids because they most likely won't have left for any parties as yet.

Wait--I just looked at my email again, and the party around here is on Sunday at 4:00 PM. Would that be a better time to reach people?

[ThomCat]

6. It's definitely the wrong night.

There is no way in hell you'll get the young single people who are out partying, or the parents of young people who are supervising trick-or-treating or parties for kids.

[Generic Brad]

7. Do you have to bring your own phone?

Or does this MoveOn guy have a phone bank in his house?

[asthmaticeog]

8. BYOP

He's got the phone number list, volunteers bring their cel phones. I guess this is tantamount to donating your plan minutes. No biggie, really, unless one has an ungenerous plan.

[lizziegrace]

9. Usually these are done on the weekends

when most cell plans don't charge for weekend use. The timing is bad though. I'd rather make the calls during the day.

I get my first full paycheck November 24th (yes, I have to wait that long). Sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I'll come up to Cleveland and buy you that beer. Deal?

[asthmaticeog]

10. At your leisure, madam.

You'll always be welcome up here in the north. *bows*

Perhaps when you get the date nailed down I can try to summon a proper Cle meetup?

[lizziegrace]

11. Works for me

Lelapin will be at her father's for Thanksgiving, so maybe that Saturday if anyone's in town.

:shrug:

[LiberalHeart]

12. This gives me an idea: drop a VOTE message in the bag with the treats

...when the kids come 'round to your house this year.

[Richardo]

13. ...because what makes Halloween more fun for a third grader?

:|

[ScreamingMeemie]

14. I hated it when people did that in 2004...

Campaign materials and Avon ads do not belong in children's treat bags. :hi:

[bif]

15. That's a great idea.

Get a stack of brochures from your local Dem and slip them in the bag. Nice! Maybe this idea should be posted in Activism or GD-Politics?