Volunteering for the Feder Campaign
By: snolan
Published On: 10/25/2006 5:02:06 PM
Last night I was released early from work to sleep for this morning's big install at work. Instead of resting, I went over to Judy Feder's campaign HQ and spent four hours stuffing, sealing, and stamping envelopes; then sorting contribution sheets and doing research online. It was fun, and I can sleep after the election.
It is amazing how much a U.S. Congressional campaign differs from a Virginia State Delegate campaign. In many ways the fundamentals are the same (stuffing envelopes, writing letters, researching both sides, canvassing, phone banking, getting out core voters), but the sheer scale difference is astounding. Having a pool of ~555,000 voters versus a pool of ~71,000 voters makes enormous differences. While the congressional race may appear busier at a glance, they need to have 7-8 times as many people working the campaign to reach the same percentage of voters. Running a statewide campaign is even more staggering. Please volunteer; your efforts are needed, even if there is a confusing bustle of activity when you first walk in the door.
Please get involved in the campaign of your choice sometime; you will be part of our great, if less than perfect, democracy. American democracy is meant to be participated in; it's the only way the experiment will work. Every campaign is perennially short of staff. If nothing else, volunteer to be an impartial election official on election day; the state is always drastically short of election workers, and you get to vote absentee when you do this much needed civic duty!
Bruce has published a gem of a short story in the life of a sign put up by his church, it is well worth reading and thinking on. No matter how you feel about the first ballot question in Virginia this year, stealing a sign is inappropriate.
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