Today is the last day that people can register to vote in Indiana, Florida, and I'm sure quite a few other states. We are doing everything we can to ensure people in Northwest Indiana who are eligible are signed up and encouraged to vote. Ev-er-y-thing.
I've shouted out the car at passersby, checked around every entrance and exit to strip malls and big box stores (before getting kicked out by police or threatened by store managers), trolled parking lots, liquor stores, check cashing stores, diners, soul food restaurants, and fast food joints.
We have stood in the rain, the cold, the dark and fought through hours at a time without finding a single person needing to change an address or register for the first time. But whenever we get down we do a little gut check- each in our own way- reminding ourselves of why we are doing this. When one of us is down, someone else will be the cheerleader. It's nice having a team that meshes so well- a very unlikely team of friends.
Photo: This is the team of folks I work with on a daily basis- a mix of SEIU retirees, Local 73 and HCI members, and organizers from around the country.
On Saturday there was a larger push out here-- members, staff, and officers of Local 1 in Chicago, HCI (health care local), and others from Local 73 came out in mass and spread out by bus to neighborhoods and other locations all across the area. With their help, we hit our goal of 6,000 new registrations.
It is impressive, considering that we are not the only group out here signing folks up. The Obama campaign, other progressive organizations, school groups, fraternities, churches, and others have been sending volunteers out nearly as fervently as SEIU.
Well I'm off, but tomorrow is our day off- so be sure to check back for more.
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