Do it Yourself Democracy
I’m tired of hearing my friends’ empty campaign promises. It seems that in each election cycle, everyone I know talks big about how we’re going to get organized and mobilize voters, but in actuality does nothing concrete to stop the Republicans from gaining more power.
However, this year I have new hope. The NCDP has a completely new field program, Constructing Victory, which combines old school organizing with net roots activism. In joining Constructing Victory, you pledge to contact 25 of your neighbors 3 times before election day. Once you join, you log onto a site where you’ll see a list of targeted voters in your neighborhood. Then you choose who you want to talk to. After talking to your targets, you enter they’re data back into the online system. This massive coordination builds a comprehensive online voter database that will be important for years to come.
This program is revolutionary on so many levels; it builds relationships within each community, it increases the amount of people who are talking about the election, and you can do it on your own schedule in your own voice.
I know a lot of regular subscribers to BlueNC have already signed up for Constructing Victory, so this may be preaching to the choir. But if you haven’t had the chance yet, check out the website at www.constructingvictory.com and sign up! This year, I’m going to make sure all of my friends sign up and you should too!
- Jennie's blog
- Login or register to post comments
Constructing Victory Volunteer Coordinator
Jennie is the NCDP's Constructing Victory Volunteer Coordinator.
Jennie is the person who coordinates with virtually every NCDP staff person and NCDP organization to try to pull off this ambitious project.
She previously was a community organizer with the Iraq Campaign, so she knows what a successful field effort looks like.
- - - - -
Constructing Vctory
I hope that this is different than the typical GOTV done by the state in the past. They only put in field operatives in certain areas of the state, those heavily minority populated, and leave out large sections of the state. Just like we need a 50 state stragety on the national level, we need a 100 county stragety on the state level.
"I often wonder if Harry and Nancy were really outraged by the K Street Project or just pissed that they didn't think of it first."
I think the idea here is to get YOU out to your parts unknown
that's why the database tells you which neighbors to GOTV. It's not up to field operators but to each of us who care and can manage it.
This is the 100 County strategy on the state level.
and that's why it will work.
It's not pushed down from the top. It's built up from the ground. I think it's pretty smart.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
Not typical
The beauty of this program is that anyone can participate in any part of the state. Our online program will have targeted voters for each county across the state, regardless of the number of registered democrats. Or how populated the area is. And it will be local people organizing in each community.
Crew Map
Julia and I put together this map to show participation by county:
Notice that there are no red counties, just some counties that need to be a bit bluer.
Just kidding, the level of blue indicates the number of crew members. Dark blue is more than 50. White is less than 2.
- - - - -
If we email you, can you tell us who the others are?
Or should I already know that, and by asking this, am I showing that I've already fallen on my face with this project?
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
I don't know, good question
Email me, and I guess we'll find out :)
Since we didn't ask people to confirm that they're alright with us releasing their contact info to other crew members, probably have to send out an email to em asking permission. We'll figure something out.
Thanks for asking.
- - - - -
another CV participation map
- - - - -
how does this coordinate with precinct organization?
i tried to ask this question and you would have thought I was the McCain devil?
I am a precinct chair and I wonder how I will know which parts of my precinct are going to be covered by folks outside of our own network>
can someone sign up for a street where there already is a block captain?
I was wondering the same thing, Turn.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
Yes
Constructing Victory Crew will be talking with people who live closest to them.
If 5 neighbors all sign up, the first will get the streets they all live on, the second will get the block immediately North, the third will get the block east, the fourth will get the block immediately South, etc.
Anyone can join the Crew and we certainly hope that there will be new people engaged. County chairs, precinct chairs, and block captains were the first people introduced to this program, and we certainly hope that they have all opted in.
Folks who have access to the online voter file will be able to track and coordinate. Your county chair designates that access.
- - - - -
