ORGANIZING ON CAMPUS
Traditionally to get students registered to vote, groups set up voter registration tables in front of the dining halls, library, or student union. However, something that will have significantly more impact is applying the same principles from a normal political campaign to the campus environment.
We all know based on multiple studies that the two most effective things someone can do to get someone to vote are to have someone they know talk to them and to have sustained (once a week) contact from people coming to their door giving them information on where candidates stand on issues that affect them AND including information on the deadlines and process needed to be followed in order to vote.
On campus, you can do both of these at one time and it is amazingly effective if sustained at the once a week contact rate over a 6 to 9 week period (the longer it is done the more effective it is, but doing it is always more effective than not doing it).
Yes, you guessed right…it is door-to-door in the Dorms.
Only a student who lives in the dorm where this is being done can do it, since most schools wouldn’t let a non-resident into the dorms.
But anyone who has ever lived in a dorm knows how easy it is for a student living in the dorm to walk down the hall knocking on the doors and talking to their fellow classmates about how to register to vote and what is going on regarding issues that affect them.
So, let’s keep applying the principles of campaigning to this…data is useful to help keep track of who you have talked to and what deadlines affect them based on where they decide to vote. Appendix C is a blank data sheet you can use to collect the core information you need to do this.
These data sheets will make it easy if you fill them out in the order you walk down the hall to help each person who wants to vote meet all the deadlines. We all live busy lives and we don’t want anyone to procrastinate away their rights and their voice at the moment where our very democracy is in the balance.