ProgressOhio

This dispatch, from Licking County progressive "Midwestmom", reports on the Democratic caravan from Columbus which was part of the statewide effort to support Robin Weirauch's campaign in the 5th District:

"On Saturday, I joined 3 van loads of folks (36) from Columbus who traveled up SR 23 to help elect a Democrat in Ohio's 5th Congressional District, OH5, Robin Weirauch (www.robinforcongress.com) Since many in this normally Republican district are dissatisfied with Congress, there is the potential to elect a Democrat. People joined us from as far away as Steubenville to walk the streets for Robin.

The Ohio Democratic Party vans made it easy for our group to travel to Bucyrus. On the trip up, we were given our walking lists of about 70 voters and trained for our mission.

With a partner we covered the odd or even sides of each street. My partner and I were lucky to walk a neat neighborhood with restored Victorians (many painted ladies) and talk to voters who had already been contacted. Most were very appreciative of our walking their neighborhoods, on a winter day, to remind them of the special election on Tuesday.

The new ODP new voter file walk list (SAGE is history) was easy to use. The maps and corresponding walk lists matched well. A nice feature on the walk list was the location of the voter's polling place. I'm encouraged that they ensured that our area was safe and easy to walk plus they constantly kept in touch with us.

Mid-walk they transported us back to Wendy's to warm up and brought Pizza at the end of the trip. Our voter contact effort in 2008 will be much easier with the voter contact methods that ODP is now using."