increasing Voter turn out for Ron Paul

[MichaelD]

I have been trying to get ballot signatures for Ron Paul here in PA, and here is what I have learned.

Many Ron Paul supporters are not registered republican to vote in the Primary. This is a failure of the campaign and of the Grassroots. I think we are waiting way to long to start campaigning in a state, by the time campaigning starts its too late to switch parties.

I went to a local gun store that is owned by a Ron Paul supporter, he signed the forms and asked about 10 people in the store to sign and none of them were registered GOP.

I stopped by a house today, that had a big Ron Paul signs out front and they didn't think they were registered.

This is Priority number one people, we need to make sure that people who support Ron Paul are registered and able to vote. The only real way to do this is note doors and hand out registration paperwork.

 

[freshjiva]

Sign up to become a Registrar. You then have the legal authority to sign people up to become registered Republicans to vote.

We have a few Ron Paul activists here in Montgomery County, Maryland who are official Registrars, and they've been working local colleges and have signed dozens of people up so far.

 

[MichaelD]

how to I become a registrar?

 

[teacherone]

are these democrats or what?

 

[MichaelD]

Some are Democrats some are Independent, I get the sense that since PA is so late in the election cycle that no one really follows the primary because its usually decided by the time we vote.

 

[freshjiva]

how to I become a registrar?

Actually, upon further investigation, it looks like you don't even need to become a Registrar in PA.

Instead, do the following:

1) Print out copies of the PA voter registration forms: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/porta...329_770861_0_0_18/OnlineVoterRegFormBlank.pdf

2) Buy a ton of envelopes

3) Buy stamps

4) Have each envelope ready to mail by having the proper postage stamps affixed to them AND address to mail the voter registration forms to (the link above has all the addresses to mail forms to, by county)

5) Whenever you find someone who says they support Ron Paul but aren't registered Republican to vote, hand them a form, have them fill it out right there on the spot, seal the forms in the envelope, and drop it into any public mailbox.

That's it!

 

[eleganz]

I have been trying to get ballot signatures for Ron Paul here in PA, and here is what I have learned.

Many Ron Paul supporters are not registered republican to vote in the Primary. This is a failure of the campaign and of the Grassroots. I think we are waiting way to long to start campaigning in a state, by the time campaigning starts its too late to switch parties.

I went to a local gun store that is owned by a Ron Paul supporter, he signed the forms and asked about 10 people in the store to sign and none of them were registered GOP.

I stopped by a house today, that had a big Ron Paul signs out front and they didn't think they were registered.

This is Priority number one people, we need to make sure that people who support Ron Paul are registered and able to vote. The only real way to do this is note doors and hand out registration paperwork.

Thank you for bringing this up. It is an important issue that the grassroots conveniently brushes under the rug.

Just make sure all RP supporters have registration forms on hand and spread the msg quickly...throw it up on meetup.com

 

[MichaelD]

I think the Grassroots needs knock doors and canvass neighborhoods. Identify, Ron Paul supporters, make sure they registered and drag them to the voting booth.

 

[tsetsefly]

I agree, this kind of shit is stuff teh grassroots should be all over!

 

[patalina]

PA is a closed primary, right? Because I have a few friends at school who are registered Democrats but want to vote for Paul...

 

[MichaelD]

Yes PA is closed, however your friends can still witch parties, they can always switch back after the primary.

 

[Birdlady]

Some are Democrats some are Independent, I get the sense that since PA is so late in the election cycle that no one really follows the primary because its usually decided by the time we vote.

Yes I believe this is the problem too.

 

[doctorfunk]

Some are Democrats some are Independent, I get the sense that since PA is so late in the election cycle that no one really follows the primary because its usually decided by the time we vote.

By what I've been seeing, I don't think that is a major factor. It seems this is happening everywhere. I think this should be one of the highest priorities for the grassroots and campaign. Converting people is moot if they don't or can't vote. Other campaigns are targeting those already registered harder so it's less of a priority for them. We need to make sure that the new/ind/dem voters we convert actually vote.

 

[phillies]

Yeah I actually just switched my party to Republican last week. Whats the deadline for Pa so I can inform people?

 

[MichaelD]

I think the Problem is everyone assumes that everyone that likes Ron Paul is a diehard supporter. I just don't think that is the case, many people don't really follow or care about politics, however they may like Ron Paul. The reality is we care more about this than many voters, so we have to make it as simple as possible for them to vote.

In PA you can switch until 30 days before we vote.

 

[Freedom of Speech]

Actually, upon further investigation, it looks like you don't even need to become a Registrar in PA.

Instead, do the following:

1) Print out copies of the PA voter registration forms: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/porta...329_770861_0_0_18/OnlineVoterRegFormBlank.pdf

2) Buy a ton of envelopes

3) Buy stamps

4) Have each envelope ready to mail by having the proper postage stamps affixed to them AND address to mail the voter registration forms to (the link above has all the addresses to mail forms to, by county)

5) Whenever you find someone who says they support Ron Paul but aren't registered Republican to vote, hand them a form, have them fill it out right there on the spot, seal the forms in the envelope, and drop it into any public mailbox.

That's it!

+rep

 

[Student Of Paulism]

I just seen this on Ben Swann's FB:

Talked directly to the head of the Paul campaign in Nevada. Carl Bunce tells me that so far, there is no apparent voter fraud in Nevada. Bunce says

"Yes we had the numbers to win easily around 23,000+ ID'd, but Dr. Paul supporters did not show up. I have people I consider good friends that said they just did not make it....we got 3rd because we did not Turn-out."

Part of the reason for the low turnout could also be the lack of understanding of the caucus process... i'll explain the mess in Nevada and why the delegate process may be very bad for Rick Santorum and very good for Ron Paul tonight.

Yea 'did not make it' sounds more to me like 'sorry, i slept in'. Jee, sure seems a lot people 'just couldn't make it' huh?

Well there you have it, pretty much the reason we lost NV Is that not sad or what? To know we could have won it if people came to vote, just really hurts. I know the time thing didn't help being so early and all that 'special caucus' crap and rules they had, but still. I think it is pretty irresponsible and lazy on these people's part if they can't do the work themselves and need their hands held. I have many friends who weren't voting, or never voted, discovered RP and knew just what to do by just asking people, sheesh. It's quite sad we need to hold the hands of grown adults as if they are in kindergarten. I am quite bewildered that some of them arent even aware of it, it's like they go to rallies, scream and yell and wave signs, and then voting day comes and: 'Uhhhh ehhhh why i not can vote now' It's just really odd they are that out of the loop. Say what you want about old people, but hell, they are sure as fuck on their game when it comes to getting out there and voting It's really too bad we don't have that demographic on board, else we would be tearing it up right now.

 

[MichaelD]

This is a failure of the campaign or grassroots, I don't think in many ways we are as organized as in 2008. Every area needs a coordinator to GOTV. We have to be hitting states earlier, the old fashioned way, face to face handing of pamphlets and talking to people.

 

[LiveForHonortune]

Remember that thread about early voting and getting people out to do vote drives at college campuses and such?

Why didn't anyone listen? We could have gotten thousands of votes.

 

[HarryBrowneLives]

Remember that thread about early voting and getting people out to do vote drives at college campuses and such?

Why didn't anyone listen? We could have gotten thousands of votes.

Here are some numbers that will make you even sicker (sorry):

1. The University of Minnesota is one of the largest student bodies in the U.S with 52,000 ... not counting other universities, community colleges, etc.

2. Frothy won in a "landslide" in MN with 8,700 votes over Ron.

= We could likely won by merely focusing on the GOTV to the college age people and getting them to the polls in mass.

= With some of the very low turnouts we've been seeing across the states as of late, this should be PRIME real estate for us but we have to get our base to realize this dynamic.