Kudos To San Pedro High School's Government Classes!
I came home feeling pretty low last night. I'd run out of steam long before the polls closed at 8:00 PM, but kept on calling till it was unlikely that anyone I reached, who hadn't yet voted, could possibly get to the polls.
Our work at the Democratic Action Center was completely centered on getting out the vote in our district for Jerry Brown, Barbara Boxer and the rest of the Democrats on the ticket in California. Our job was to get out the California Vote, no matter what was happening in other states.
In order to focus, no TV's were set up and running during the last crucial days and hours, but of course, by the time it got close the Witching Hour, some of the volunteers were aware of the results coming in across the country.
Nevertheless, the kids who had come out from the high school down the road persevered in their efforts to get the last voter they could reach to the polls. Just before eight, the young lady working next to me called her mom asking to be picked up. Earlier, when she took a short break to eat a piece of donated pizza, she told me about her High School Government class and how just how she came to be there.
The students from the Government Classes at SPHS were asked to choose from a list of activities from which they could get some hands on experience in how our system worked. Two of their choices was to either go to a court house and follow a serious case in progress, or volunteer to work for a party or a candidate of their choice in a local election. There were probably other choices, but these were the two this young lady decided to choose from.
I'm sure that the kids were as tired as I was, but the students who had come to join the effort on election day, continued calling to the very last moment.
I left the headquarters before the wrap party, dispirited and exhausted. By the time I left, election results from around the country were already being broadcast on local stations.
It was only today that I learned that all the people we were backing actually won the election. The efforts in California bucked the trend ~~ and we prevailed. As strange as it sounds, we even reelected our State Senator who had suddenly passed away a couple of weeks before the election ~~ insuring that we would have another chance to vote for our new State Senator in a special election.
I know for sure that we were able to get people to the polls who may not have gotten there had we not called. There was a whole contingent of volunteers, who between calls, were just waiting to drive voters who asked for rides to the polls
Since we were working from a list of people who had, at one time, let us know that they intended to vote Democratic, most of the people we reached were friendly voters who happy to hear from us. Not only did our calls reveal the need for rides, we found out that some of the newly registered voters were unsure exactly how to vote ~ I mean the process, not who to vote for.
We received requests for help from a few newly registered voters who just needed someone to explain the process to them or to help them find a poll worker who would assist them. There were volunteers who were ready to meet them. In fact, after I received such a request, my dear husband Pete met a woman who had asked for someone meet her at her polling place at 6:00 PM just to show her how to vote in her first election.
It took a few calls back and forth, but this lady looked for a man with graying hair who was wearing a gray shirt and jeans. She described her self as rather short and with brown hair. I think they exchanged phone numbers or something like that, but in the end, both she and Pete met and she voted in her first election.
As I mentioned earlier, by the time I left, we knew that the Party of No had captured many seats around the country. Today, we learned that here in California we mostly stood our ground. At least, in my district, we prevailed.
I hope the students who helped out feel the pride they deserve to feel. These were really good kids. In my book, they are all champions, and I hope they realize that they can make a difference in the world in many ways. So, tired and a bit sad at this moment, I am feeling uplifted by the faith of these kids still had. I am so happy I had a chance to work beside them.
Posted by Judi at November 3, 2010 11:47 PM | TrackBack