JUST ANOTHER DAY ON THE FRONT LINES

Phonebanking at the MCDP HQ.

About half my day is making calls to convert voters into volunteers.  The other half is getting calls.  Sometimes they're from people who see our office number, 602.298.0503, on their Caller ID for a call they missed.  Then there are the calls for help.

For example, a lady voter called in needing help getting to the polls on Election Day --2 weeks off.  She's taking medication that advises "do not drive or operate machinery," and she wants desperately to vote from President Obama again.  Oh.  Did I mention that she lives on the outer fringes of Maricopa County, in Tonapah,  some 57 miles from Beautiful Downtown Phoenix.

We'll get her a ride.

Then there was the couple who moved back to Tempe after a 2-year stint in California, and didn't know if the are still registered.

"Do you have to register for each election?" he wanted to know, as he didn't have his Voter ID card.  But I found him on our voter list, and advised him to go to the nearest Early Voting Location to confirm that they are indeed registered --still-- and get an Voter ID card.

But still no volunteers.

Ah.  A call came in from a couple in Flagstaff, 140 miles north of here.  A young couple had moved to Arizona a few months ago and wanted to know if they could still register to vote.  They were crushed when I told them that registration ended Oct. 9, but thrilled when I told them they could still help us get others out to vote.

Their positive --eager-- response made my day.