My first diary described my efforts in organizing my precinct for GOTV. I've recruited Block Captains to get phone numbers for voters in their block and then call those voters to remind them when early voting starts and urge them to vote. I was encouraged to give updates on the process (and to link to the original diary which I haven't figured out how to do, help.)
I had asked my Block Captains to call me when they had completed their surveys so I could pick up their notes and enter the information my database and print out calling lists for them. My experience with giving house parties for Obama and Sherrod Brown is that too many fail to show despite their promises. I therefore expected to spend time on the phone pushing and prodding.
My first surprise was that four of my Block Captains actually called to have me pick up their lists with no prodding. My second surprise was that when I called six were ready to have me pick up their lists, two volunteered to do an extra block, three were still working, and in five cases I had to leave a message on the answering machine. Not only that but the reasons those still working hadn't completed were solid. One had just returned from vacation, another had had surgery on his hand, and the third was having trouble getting an answer at one of his houses.
If anyone wants to duplicate what I'm doing (and I really wish people would,) use a list of faithful Democratic voters to recruit your Block Captains as I did. It was my hope that the fact that they voted in every election would mean that they would take their job seriously and that seems to be borne out here. More than half of my volunteers are done with no pushing from me. Only a quarter couldn't be reached directly in one phone call in one evening. We'll see what happens when I connect with them, but I am more than pleasantly surprised about how well things are going.
More after the elegant apostrophe.