With election day drawing closer, it is time to shift gears into overdrive. By now you have seen the news, read the stories, and heard the commercials ad nauseum. You may have even voted already. With a remarkable climb in the polls that began in late September, it appears the Romney-Ryan ticket may be peaking at just the right moment.But positive polling won’t be enough to lift Governor Romney into the White House. I hate to bore you with something as trivial as numbers, but let’s take a look at a few that explain why the Governor’s rise to the White House will depend on the critical Get Out The Vote (GOTV) efforts of folks like you and me..9: Romney’s average lead nationwide among likely voters
Less than a point–and well within the margin of error. Even taking into consideration the documented bias of many polls, no one disputes that this race will come down to the wire.
4.9: The average percent of undecided voters in nationwide polling
Most people have already decided which candidate is the best for the job. But what should that tell you? This election will be decided by voter turnout, not by a landslide change in voter sentiment.
To win in November, we MUST turn out the vote. How do we do that? With your help, with my help. With your cousin’s help, with your high school friend’s help, maybe even with your dog’s help if that will strike up conversation. The point is, we all have something to contribute, and the outcome of election depends on those contributions.
7: The number of days until the biggest election of our lifetime.
That’s no hyperbole, folks. The stakes are the highest of my lifetime, and probably yours, too. Those of us who aren’t yet old and wrinkled have the most on the line: The most earning potential to lose and the most time to spend paying back the giant hole our elders are digging for us. I’m not trying to scare you, but I wouldn’t blame you for being scared.
The good news is that we have a chance to right the ship (see what I did there?) this November, but there are only seven days left. Whether you live in a swing state or a safe state, you can contribute to the effort to deliver victory. Here are just a few ways you can get involved:
Walk the walk. Face to face voter contact is powerful, which makes door knockers critical to election success. Contact your local GOP, your state party, or a campaign near you to volunteer your feet (and what’s attached) to voter outreach. The GOP has a handy dandy online form where you can sign up for info about volunteering at your local victory center.
Can’t knock on doors? Call from home. The Romney-Ryan campaign has a remote phone-banking system that you can use without ever leaving your mom’s basement.
Have some spare cash? Send it to the Romney campaign, your state party, or your local Republican running for office.
Have spare time? Become a poll watcher. Contact your local Republican Party to volunteer for Election Day efforts.
*UPDATE: The Republican National Committee released this video this morning, highlighting the GOTV effort, titled “It’s Time To Vote.”
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVir5sqk3PU]
