Menu
Getting out the vote
With just hours remaining before the 2008 election becomes history, both the Democrats and Republicans are doing all they can to make sure voters make it to the polls Tuesday. At the Democratic headquarters on North Cedar volunteers from all over are converging to canvass voters and urge their participation on election day.
"Yesterday, we had 11 people walking in Butler and today we already have three in Clinton, one in Rich Hill, three in Nevada; and we may have six more," Richard Boss, Obama volunteer, said.
"We're working on getting out the vote for Barack Obama. We're calling and walking these four counties (Bates, Henry, St. Clair and Vernon) for the past month and a half or two months. We've been registering voters and knocking on doors to get out the vote."
Republican efforts seem to be centered on offering rides to the polls and many of the Republican candidates are offering to make sure people have a ride on election day.
"I just received a call from St. Louis and they said a woman from up around Hume was needing a ride tomorrow so I guess I'll be heading up there first thing tomorrow," Barney Fisher, candidate for 125th district, said. "If anyone needs a ride they can call and we'll make sure they get it."
Jason Claspill, candidate for coroner, said that anyone needing a ride could call him and he would make sure they had a ride to the polls.
"I'll be up and around early so anyone who wants a ride can give me a call," Claspill said.
The Democrats seem to be focusing on getting their message to as many possible voters as they can before Tuesday's election.
"Tomorrow we'll have three volunteers, and we hope to have more, giving rides to the polls and knocking on the doors of people favorable to Obama," Boss said.
Boss said that many of the volunteers are from Oklahoma and Kansas, coming in to help the local effort.
"Approximately one-third to one-half of the people are coming in from outside the area," Boss said. "There's one here from Oklahoma City, one from Stillwater and one from Edmond and there are some from areas of Kansas as far away as Wichita."
Boss said that the volunteers came from a wide variety of backgrounds and ages.
"Our own volunteers here range from 19 to 80," Boss said. "Louise Belcher is 79 and she works here most days. It's a wide segment of people. It's a cross section of the middle class, or what's left of it after it's shrinking into the haves and have-nots."
Boss said that the volunteers that are coming in tend to be first time volunteers.
"These individuals we're getting from out of state, we don't even know," Boss said. They see a very strong need for change in America and all of them are very, very enthusiastic. Most of them are first time volunteers."
To call for a ride from the Democratic headquarters voters may call (660) 227-9269, (417) 483-5104, (417) 549-6948, or (417) 321-0591.
To call for a ride from a Republican candidate voters may call (417) 667-7245, (417) 321-9689, (417) 684-5099, or (417) 321-4871.