Locals came out in droves to support the Democratic Party’s ground game. Charlotte County Democrats were delighted by the oversized crowd at a Port Charlotte training event.
An advanced training session to help prepare Democrats to Get Out the Vote (GOTV) was attended by more than 3 times the expected audience. Almost 60 enthusiastic Democrats were ready for action at tonight’s event, where they learned how to educate wary voters and encourage full participation in all candidate and ballot issues.
Led by seasoned Precinct Captain and local activist Paul Edward Anarumo, the training was coordinated by Jane Merriam, Secretary of the Charlotte County Democratic Executive Committee. This training is part of an ongoing educational program designed to help local citizen volunteers increase Democratic voter turnout.
“What can I do to help?” is a common inquiry Ms. Merriam, who also serves as Office Manager, fields regularly. “People are calling and reaching out, wanting to help Democrats get elected in this critical election. Our focus has been to give them the tools that make the most impact. Tonight’s training shows that every single volunteer can make a big impact on voter turnout.”
Mr. Anarumo described techniques to promote positive dialog and to encourage respect even when political differences arise “It’s easy to greet everyone politely. We defuse tension with humor, but mostly, we focus on helping voters that want information.”
The attendees were preparing themselves to increase in-person outreach efforts in the remaining days leading up to the election on November 6th.
Volunteers join with teams of canvassers that knock on pre-selected doors of voters likely to vote for Democrats but often need a little more information or motivation.
Many find the camaraderie of working with like-minded neighbors, meeting new friends, and hearing from supportive voters provides a welcome boost in spirit and optimism in the contentious election rush.
But Jane Merriam is clear that Democrats need more volunteers to sign up at www.CharlotteDems.com/volunteer.
“We can’t take anything for granted! We need volunteers to help us earn every single vote to win. ”
