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We’re experiencing something I’ve never seen before with the Just Say Now Prop 19 phone banking: the people we’re calling LOVE being called.
Sure, we’re targeting people in the 18-29 age group who are likely to support marijuana legalization. And with 94% awareness of Prop 19 in that group, we knew there was going to be enthusiasm.
But when Michael Whitney was at the Prop 19 headquarters last weekend phonebanking with our friends from Students for Sensible Drug Policy, people started CHEERING when the callers said they were from Prop 19. If nobody was home and they left a message, people were calling back and thanking them.
Seriously.
Just Say Now placed over 5,000 calls last week into California, Arizona, Oregon and South Dakota. Our phone banking tool is teh awesome, thanks to the hard work of Mike Whitney and Brian Sonenstein (who made the great video above).
You can login now through Facebook, Twitter or register through email, and start calling!
And once you’re logged in, you can join the FDL calling group. Or create your own group. If you’re looking for a bright spot in the 2010 election, this is it!
27 Comments
Yes on Prop 19, Boxer, Brown, and a Democrat in Orange county!
I’ve been around a lot of phone banks making calls for all kinds of things — public broadcasting pledge drives, university fundraising, and political campaigns — but this is stunning.
Har: don’t bogart that phone bank, my friend… pass it over to me.
(sorry couldn’t resist). Thanks to all for your efforts on this, esp Jane.
Good grief — that damned foul-mouthed fem blogger is at it again! First, a few years gone by she tried to get the goods on Scooter, a true red-white-blue ‘Murikan patriot of the Cheney persuasion, and now she’s trying to get a dangerous gateway, insanity-inducing, highly addictive narcotic legalized! OMG — hide the children! Shouldn’t this Hamsher woman be waterboarded or something? (Yeah — delurkin to spout off some snark.)
Indeed. This never, ever happens in phone work. Ever.
Until now, until this issue.
cough cough here you go buddy…
I’m this deep into the comments without anyone’s calling it a contact hi?
“We’re experiencing something I’ve never seen before with the Just Say Now Prop 19 phone banking: the people we’re calling LOVE being called.”
That is teh groovy!
All you former phonebankers who got out of the gig because you couldn’t hack rejection (and sometimes abusive rejection)? Here’s the task for you! What other phonebanking gig has its targets all but offering to bear your children?
I’m still of the opinion that putting the energy and resources of FDL into direct-democratic initiatives, instead of into venal narcissists, is the best thing to happen to activism for progressive policy in well over a generation.
It’s very inspiring.
Can’t get excited about Boxer, who opposes Prop 19:
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/sen-boxer-opposes-california-initiative-to-full-legalizing-marijuana.php
Don’t know why but the links tool never works for me.
you might not find it in door-to-door canvassing. If you do plan on going out, be prepared for heaps of rudeness this year.
You don’t have to be excited about Boxer, who’s against Prop 19, but if you’ve paid any attention to her challenger, you’ll vote for her. Or, you can move to AZ or NV after the election.
Are cellphone numbers included in the call lists? And generally speaking, is there anything to the notion that telephone polling is not entirely valid because cellphone numbers are not being included? I’d like to think that those who have no land lines tend to lean in a more progressive direction, but that’s probably just wishful thinking on my part.
I just got here. *said while holding it in*
Have to agree with others. Done some phone banking in my time and have never, never, ever had this experience. Far out.
how’s that workin’ for ya, Senator ?
And, yet, Huffingtonpost had a story this morning with the heading “Is Carly Fiorina Closing In On Barbara Boxer?”
Agreed. If the Prop 19 initiative succeeds, next time around it would be nice to have a large-scale referendum regarding the cutting off of taxpayer money for illegal warz.
This isn’t polling, it’s “get out the vote.”
The more you remind people, the more likely they are to vote.
Agreed. It’s been really fun to work on, and young voters are into like nothing else this election season. Quite inspiring.
Free ponies might work to get out the vote too.
I understand that this is a “get out the vote” effort, and not polling, but the question of cellphone v landlines (for either effort) has been rattling around in my mind (such as it is) for several days. Thanks.
Tijuana Pot Bust: Authorities Sieze 105 TONS Of Marijuana En Route To California –HuffPost
Let’s see, 105 tons is over three million ounces at a hundred bucks an ounce — WOW — that’s $336 million worth of pot, which if taxed at five percent would be $17 million! That’s a lot of school-teachers.
Plus all the savings in border patrol surveillance and crime reduction . . .
I’d have to see this to believe it! I think anyone who’s ever phone-banked before can testify that even voters who strongly support your candidate or position are, um, less than thrilled to be contacted. The friendliest ones are usually the senior citizens looking to make a friend. And the least friendly is everyone else.
Although I will say that working on the Obama campaign in 2008 that young voters were much friendlier than middle aged grumps :)
We were bound to be on the same page someday :-p
;-)
Pollsters do not use cell phone numbers – at least not yet – as they work off published phone lists (white pages, etc.). Phone banks (at least here in Texas) run off voter registration lists. So if a voter registers using his cell number, that’s the number that is called.
I know who is her challenger. The only thing that would be different if I were in CA is that I would go out and vote for Prop 19. For the senate race, I think I’d write in “public option” or my neighbor’s cat’s name.