by Anita Saville
It’s Get-Out-The-Vote Time!
As we enter the final stretch of this election, postcard actions are winding down and phone banks are winding up. Whether you’re a veteran caller, or just phone-bank curious, here’s a great opportunity to lend a hand in Pennsylvania — a critical swing state.
Like postcards, phone calls make a personal connection with potential voters. They’re key to reaching rural voters and others who may not be reachable by postcards, canvassing, or texts. Most importantly, they’re a great way to interact with voters in real time — making them an essential part of a campaign’s get-out-the-vote toolkit.
Give a voice to young voters.
Indivisible Northampton-Swing Left Western Massachusetts (IN-SLWM) is hosting calls into Pennsylvania on Tuesdays from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. (Get more details and sign up HERE.) This is a great phone bank because you will:
- Call Democrats who appreciate hearing from you
- Give concrete info—not try to change anyone’s mind
- Leave messages
- Have lots of support
“Our calls will help fortify the blue wall of Pennsylvania for President and re-elect Senator Bob Casey,” says IN-SLWM phone bank leader Beth Lev. “We’re calling young, registered voters to give them the information and motivation to cast their ballots so their voices will be heard.”
I recently sampled a couple of IN-SLWM’s highly acclaimed phone banks and found them to be easy and very effective. Although callers attended from across the country, there were just 30 of us — which allowed ample time for asking questions and getting any technical help we needed.
After dialing into a Zoom call, we introduced ourselves and learned whom we were calling and why. Those of us who were new to the phonebank stayed on Zoom to learn how to use the dialer and ask followup questions about the script. From our computers, we clicked on a link that attached our cell phones to a very user-friendly dialing app that automatically and anonymously connected us with either a live person or their voicemail. The script appeared right on our computers and refreshed with each new call.
There is minimal time between calls, and you can pause the dialer whenever you like.
Because we are near the end of the election, the calls focus on Democrats and we can often leave a message. The phone bank leaders are available throughout your shift on Zoom to answer any questions. They’ve been doing this for a while and give very clear instructions and lots of encouragement.
Speak with those whose votes are key.
A few minutes before your shift ends, you can return to the Zoom call to share your experience and hear how it went for others. You’ll also get a tally of the group’s reach. On my first shift the 30 of us made nearly 2,000 calls and had 300 conversations.
The voters I spoke with appreciated the extra information I passed along about a ballot question and new voter ID rules. It was truly exciting to speak with folks from another state who will help decide the outcome of so many important races. Having these conversations brings me back to the phones election after election.
I’ll be making calls every Tuesday until November 5. I really hope you will join me! Can’t do Tuesday evenings? Visit our Action Springboard for additional options.
Anita Saville is a member of the Concord Indivisible Steering Committee and can be reached at asaville@comcast.net.
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