John Porter is an OffTheBus grassroots correspondent. Each week he contributes a campaign journal documenting his life out on the trail.
Since this is the first presidential campaign that I have had the pleasure of volunteering for, I really had no idea what to expect. What were other people like who volunteered for campaigns? What would I be doing for the campaign? Can I really make a difference? I can honestly say that the first day that I walked into the Campaign for Change headquarters for my first phonebanking event, I was walking blindly into a world that I had never experienced before.
It has been just over a month since I first walked into the headquarters, and I can honestly say that volunteering for the campaign has had major impacts on my life. Not only have I been able to work with a broad spectrum of people, who, for lack of any better adjective, are enthusiastic. I must say that those who are volunteering for the campaign do so not only because they want to see change in the White House, but they also see the kind of enlightened, energetic leadership that they can believe in. I'm sure that it has been some time since a presidential candidate has been met with such enthusiasm. It is refreshing to see the excitement in this campaign process and exciting to be a part of it.
The events this week were a mixture of efforts that I know were taking place all over the state. I went with my friend Crystal to do some last minute voter registration on Monday. We were unsure what the outcome would be, since it was the Columbus Day holiday. We went to a busy area of town near a shopping center and simply walked up and down the streets asking those who we passed if they were registered. One thing that I did not expect was that we were able to register people who might have fallen through the cracks. Three people that we registered were down on their luck and were now residents of the homeless shelter. Two of the ladies that we registered were barely in their twenties, had recently moved from Ohio, and were apparently not doing well here in their new home. Both girls were interested in voting, but weren't sure about the process. They were registered in Ohio, and were under the impression that their registration was good here in West Virginia as well. After registering them to vote here in the state, and explaining their options for early voting, they boarded the city bus with Barack Obama stickers and the promise of being able to vote for the change they needed to get their lives turned back around.
We found a group of teenagers hanging around the shopping center. The one older guy with them was holding a guitar. It was a gamble whether or not we could find someone old enough to vote, as they all looked a little young. To our surprise, there were a few that were already registered. The remaining ones seemed like they were on the apathetic side of the political spectrum. We were able to convince one guy that it would be a good idea to register, just in case he decided to vote. This was his last chance, and if he decided to vote later on, it would be impossible to vote without registering.
Continuing down the street, we registered two people that were working at a t-shirt and poster shop. As we were registering the guy who was standing out front, the girl who was working inside came out and wanted to register as well saying, "I'm glad you guys stopped by, I didn't think I was going to get to vote." She had moved since she had first registered and hadn't registered at her new address. She was under the impression that the registration period had already passed, so it was a good thing that we had stopped by and gave her the chance to vote.
In the course of a few hours, we were able to register twelve people who might not have had the chance to vote in this election. Given the importance of this election, and the stake that everyone holds in the outcome, it is important that we each are given the chance to express who we feel should lead our country, our state and our communities. That is why I am so excited by the ability to work with the wonderful volunteers here in my area to help elect the president that I think our state and country needs at this important point.
Whenever I go into the headquarters, I know that there will be at least one other volunteer who I know. I can honestly say that the group of volunteers is feeling more and more like a group of old friends, and even, at times, feels like a family that shares a core set of values. Volunteers like Sue, who I feel could be the group grandmother. Perhaps I feel this way because I lost my grandmother two years ago, who was my last living grandparent and who I cared about dearly, but Sue brings the kind of warmth and love that makes the whole group feel comforted. I must say of Sue that she is also a great communicator. She can be on the phone with an undecided voter or even one that is thinking of voting for Sen. McCain and convince them in a (sometimes lengthy) conversation that they should vote for Senator Obama.
Of course, there are many other volunteers who bring unique qualities to the effort as well. There is Laurie, who tries her best to encourage others to volunteer by keeping everyone informed of events and news through email. There's Jeanette, whose energy and sense of caring and concern can be contagious. There's Shelly, who despite having tough times herself, is working to ensure a brighter future for us all. There's Crystal, who I went to school but lost touch with until the campaign, who tries her best to energize the crowd by suggesting events that can increase participation and interest. And we must not forget the ones who make the headquarters work. There's Mary, who seems to be the life of the "party," no matter what time or place she finds herself. We cannot forget Karen, who is one of the office directors and the one who encourages (read: nags) people to do phone calls. Without her, not much would get done. There's also Steve, the other director, who works behind the scenes to help everything go smoothly. And then there's Irene, the director of the Democratic headquarters who seems to keep everybody in line. Together, along with many more volunteers, this family of supporters is working hard to turn the tides here in West Virginia. We hope to work together to turn the state blue again, because at this important point in history we must come together for our common good. We must be the agents of our own change.
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