DNC Canvassing - My Thoughts

It was a great day! I think about when we first came together in 2004 to campaign for John Kerry. We have gone from not only having Democrats and other progressives join us to promote Democratic ideas and candidates, but today showed how we have grown in our outreach, elevated ourselves to, in the words of Bradley, progressive grassroots canvassing. Having gotten that first canvassing experience behind us- I'd say we are now professionals and can be leaders to those who will join us in the future. We now have a base from which to brainstorm on ways to make this great experience even greater. We can continue going out door to door and inviting others to join us in taking back our country from George Bush and those Republicans who could come after George, if we are not diligent and committed. Our time is now and today we proved that we are up to the challenge. It was a great experience. We made new friends. We were able to let those "lonely" Democrats and independents out there in Texas Land know that they are not alone and we need their help. Everyone used what talents they had to make a contribution today- from verbally sharing information, to putting together the flyers (that was me). No job is too small when we work together. Thanks again and let's keep it going.

stories from a dnc canvass

All four of the current contributors to the NTL blog participated in today's DNC Neighbor-to-Neighbor Organizing Day, one of the many events planned to implement Howard Dean's Fifty State Strategy. We joined members of the Flower Mound Democrats at a local restaurant and exchanged literature and ideas before heading off in pairs to different precincts around the area. We had block-walkers from Flower Mound, Lewisville, Double Oak, Highland Village, and Grapevine; all of us were incredibly enthusiastic and ready to show other members of the community that the Democrats have an agenda and that it is a clear alternative to the Republicans. Some of us used voter rolls to target Democratic households in an effort to get the base fired up, while others went from door to door spreading information on the Democratic plan for America and handing out literature about our great local candidates, such as Tim Barnwell, the Democratic challenger for Rep. Burgess. We talked to many registered voters that were ready for a change and were excited to see action from the Democrats in what is largely considered a conservative bastion.

I'm sure the other NTL contributors will share their canvassing experiences on the blog in the coming days, so keep an eye out for our stories from a DNC Canvass. It was the first time that most of us had participated in this sort of event, but we learned a lot and are fired up and ready to do it again. We're ready to bring the Democrats out of the woodwork. We're already planning on follow-up mailing materials, etc.

Also, if you participated in another similar event sponsored by a different area group such as the Dallas County Democrats or the Denton County Democrats or one of the local offshoots in the suburbs, please share your experiences through the comment feature here at the blog! Together we can really make a difference in North Texas through a progressive grassroots movement.

Flower Mound Democrats - April 29 Canvass

We have approximately ten individuals who have registered online. However, we also have an additional four commitments, which makes fourteen participants so far. Although this is our first canvassing as a group, after this event we will all be experts. At our May meeting, it will be a good time to critique how things went, what we should do differently and what things we should continue to do when canvassing. See you all on Saturday. Thanks.
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DNC Neighbor-to-Neighbor Canvass
Saturday, April 29 at 11:00 AM
Hosted by: Jo Smith and the Flower Mound Democrats
Meeting Location: Landmark Grill in Lewisville
1297 Justin Rd. Lewisville, TX 75077

For more information on what Howard Dean's Neighbor-to-Neighbor Organizing Day is all about, check out our previous blog post here.

Neighbor-to-Neighbor Organizing Day on April 29th.

I am sure others received this note from Howard Dean. Is this something we should think about doing as a group?

Are you ready to make history? Thanks to the overwhelming support from thousands of Democrats, who donated to get the literature for the canvass printed and shipped, we're on schedule and gearing up for the unprecedented Neighbor-to-Neighbor Organizing Day on April 29th.

On that Saturday, thousands of volunteers will recruit hundreds of thousands more Americans committed to changing the status quo this year during door-knocking events in communities across America.

Democrats have a clear vision for America, and we're going to get the word out by making personal contact with our neighbors. And along the way we will build new relationships among volunteers on the ground, a network that will have an impact beyond a single day. Whether you've never volunteered or you're a seasoned door-knocking veteran, it is crucial that you take part in this historic organizing push.

In many states, Democratic Party staff on the ground have already put together staging areas for massive voter contact events on the 29th. Thanks to donations from people like you, hundreds of thousands of pieces of literature are being printed and shipping in bulk to those locations right now.

If there isn't an event near you, don't worry. Some state parties will have canvassing events on alternate dates, or have other important events planned for that weekend. You can still plan your own canvass in your community. Our online tool makes the planning process easy, and if you create your event before April 10th, we will get doorhangers to you in time for your canvass on the 29th.

Whether you're attending an event or hosting your own, we have also put together materials on the web to help you make your canvass as effective as possible. The online package includes tips on canvassing, a suggested script for when you get to the door, and the doorhanger itself in various formats for you to print extras on your own.

Two-thirds of Americans reject this president and the Republican leadership -- and they are waiting to hear from us. We are all members of one American community and it's up to us to make sure that our country has a government as good as its people. Democrats have a big task in November. We will only win if every one of us takes responsibility for the outcome of the election now -- while there is still time to build our operation.

Thank you for being a part of this extraordinary grassroots push.

Governor Howard Dean, M.D.