Thread by @somethingfishie

Yesterday I ran the primary in my neighborhood as an election judge. It's staggering how many people have difficulty understanding how voting works, and what a primary is. 1/

First of all, all of the people who dragged themselves out in 95🌡 weather were enthusiastic as hell. There wasn't any enthusiasm gap on the Republican side.

And they were eager to vote in person, as @less_tx noted. 2/

But in many cases, enthusiasm was met with disappointment, as many people who wanted to vote in races they'd heard about and seen advertised realized they were not eligible. They saw a high profile race and assumed they could vote in it. 3/

Now, I absoutely believe in personal responsibility, and knowing who you are eligible to vote for. People SHOULD do their research, and know who represents them.

But I am here to tell you that MANY VERY ENTHUSIASTIC VOTERS DO NOT KNOW ANY OF THAT. 4/

If I was working for a campaign or a party right now, I would be trying very hard to figure out a way to microtarget highly motivated voters and give them that information, tailored to their address.

Yes, it'd be expensive, but I'm pretty sure it would pay off hugely. 5/

ANd it doesn't really have to be that spendy. A simple mailer with 'Sample Ballot for Daisy May Voter' would be helpful. Your expense would be the personalization, but that might be able to be automated to a degree.

But a voter walking in to vote with that in hand is gold. 6/

That race all our people wanted to vote in got many of them in the door, but it didn't satisfy them, or meet the purpose they came for.

We got the sense that many of the voters left feeling like they had a bait-and-switch pulled on them. Long term, that's bad. 7/

The problem here is campaigns have a short life span, and a singular goal. That goal is sadly not to build a reliable party structure, educate voters, or recruit long-term voters for the party. It's to get one person elected. 8/

In Harris County, our Republican party is AWOL right now, absent leadership or direction after a difficult primary for county party chair. So who is going to lead?

Well, I'm going to do something; at least I'm going to try. 9/

I may be able to start only with my precinct, but I can send out letters before November telling the folks who vote regularly exactly what races they can vote for, and where they can do it.

And if I'm able to walk the area, I might not have to pay postage. Hand deliver. 10/

This is what a precinct chair or lead should be doing, and I'll be working with mine to do this. But it needs doing everywhere.

Are you that person who always researches what's on the ballot, or at least knows what races to expect? I'm talking to you, then. 11/

Even if you just picked a street or two near you and wrote letters to (say, if you're an R) the R voters or likely-R voters on those streets telling them who you are, who you support, and where they can vote, you will help them immensely. 12/

Voters who are motivated to vote WANT TO KNOW ALL THIS. They WANT to feel informed and ready to vote. You can put that in their hands, and do it for just a few dollars.

If you wrote just 50 letters, You would probably get at least half of them bringing your letter to vote. 13/

One friend of mine does it on a particularly bright sheet of paper, and keeps an eye out for the color as people bring in voter guides. He knows people are taking his recommendations in to vote. He sees it working. His choices usually carry his precinct. 14/

Look, if you're the one who researches candidates and knows what's on the ballot, you're probably the SME that a lot of people in your area need.

Especially in those down ballot races, where few people know anything about the candidates. 15/

The top of the ballot guys have all the resources they need, you don't have to worry about them. But county commissioners, boards of education, Justices of the Peace and suchlike are often overlooked and swept in and out by the waves created at the top of the ballot. 16/

Those down ballot offices have much more reach over you, though. And you should be able to reach them much more easily. If you multiply your vote with a recommendation letter, you can make those guys hear you better. Make them govern better. 17/

And this is the oldest school of old school GOTV plans, but some people need a vivd reminder that they can make a difference right here they are.

And right now, we all need that, I think. If you're in quarantine, spend a little effort reaching out to folks near you. 18/

It builds community.
It helps inform others.
It gives people something tangible they can be doing (off of social media!) to affect races in November.
It promotes informed voting.

And honestly, it makes my job easier as election judge. Not gonna lie. 19/

I had to explain to people why the presidential race wasn't on their ballot in this runoff.

I had to explain to people why they couldn't vote in that race with all the TV ads.

I had to tell people they had to go vote in their own county.

Help me. 20/

No social media company can squelch an effor like this.
Mainstream media can't get in the way of it.
Demonstrations can't shut it down.

Just make it easier for people to know what to do, and tell them directly. 21/

Tell them who is on their ballot.
Tell them who you support.
Tell them where to learn more about your guys.
Tell them where to vote early, or to vote on the day of.
Hell, advise them to vote early to avoid lines and crowds.

Just please help them. It's not hard. /fin

ADDENDUM: Democrats here had this figured out a while back. Before our county had vote-anywhere voting on election day, they would post signs at apartment complexes telling people the closest location to vote.

They also put out slick mailers introducing all their major candidates on the ballot, resumes, pictures, 'I will fight for you' quotes, the works.

They also explained WHAT THOSE OFFICES DID.

They actually explained what people were voting for.

Shame on Republicans for not doing that, and doing it first.

@kellyhorsley put that together for #teaparty in 2010, years ahead of Ds, but without the massive budget and marketing-slick look.