Operation New Hampshire: Call NH

[skiingff]

We have approximately 80 days (give or take) until the New Hampshire primary. We need to start phone banking and direct mailing efforts, and we need to start them now. Please be ready to move forward on this ASAP.

New Hampshire has 1,314,895 residents (2005 estimate, US Census Bureau).
New Hampshire has 690,159 registered voters -- 25.6% Dem., 36.7% Rep., 37.7% unaffiliated (2002 data, CNN).
Undeclared/Republican voters make up 74.4% of the entire voting population in NH, or 513,478 people.

First Step
The first step is we need to decide on is a goal. What should the goal be? To reach 10%, 25%, 40%, or 50+% of the 513,478 undeclared/Republican voters in the state? Should we target people multiple times, or try to target as many people as possible? Repetition is key to persuasion. Or, do we want to go for the symbolic goal of reaching 50% of the applicable voting population of NH? I'm not going to argue this, because both approaches are legitimate and will have a positive effect.

Second Step
Procedure. Keeping our goal in mind, what will the procedure for phone banking be? How will we organize & execute the procedure to meet our goal? How will we carry out this task? Will we sign up volunteers and give them each a certain amount of phone numbers to call? How do we verify and confirm they've made the calls? What are the procedures for following up with potential voters/Ron Paul supporters? What is the content criterion? What will the phone bankers say? Will we have a script and guidelines to follow? Do we make people affirm to follow these guidelines before giving out phone numbers? How do we set this up as an organized, professional effort and minimize personal opinions while maximizing the flow of universally-appealing information?

Third Step
Voting list. I see only one viable option here, and that is doing this professionally - purchasing the voter rolls from a well-established company that can meet our needs/requirements. Having NH residents go to every local courthouse in the state, trying to copy records would be a huge administrative hassle, take way too long, and not be effective at all. We need to get all the information in a simple, quick & efficient way. Companies who do this for a living already have all the information. They can narrow it down to specifics, such as party affiliations, ages, races, geographic locations, etc automatically by searching a database. They update their databases often and the information is already there and ready-to-go.

Fourth Step
Not necessarily fourth, but it'll go here anyway. Advertising/spreading the word about this phone banking campaign and getting a couple hundred people to sign up for it. Also in this step, would include the actual execution of the campaign. Self-explanatory.


Let's move forward NOW and not procrastinate another day. We've already procrastinated in June, July, August, and September. We don't have all the time in the world. No more excuses. Action now. This is important for the campaign. New Hampshire is important for the campaign. This is a test of our commitment.

[paulitics]

amen, for the millionth time "lets just do it". Lets think of a strategy and start doing this by next week. The holidays are fast approaching.

I agree, no more excuses!

[LibertyEagle]

I used to be against this, but I'm thinking we need to have automated pre-recorded messages of Ron speaking too, going to every Republican and Independent.

[ronpaulyourmom]

The best approach is to feed all the numbers through a web database. People log into the site and just push a button to get fed a number, then there will be a checkbox for whether or not the call was made successfully, and a text box to enter in a report ticket on the call. The database would handle the rest.

Not too hard to do for somebody with skills in this area, and the hosting cost would not be astronomical either.

[skiingff]

I used to be against this, but I'm thinking we need to have automated pre-recorded messages of Ron speaking too, going to every Republican and Independent.

So do we want exclusively pre-recorded messages? A mixture of pre-recorded messages and phone banking? Exclusively phone banking with real people?

I believe a mixture would be great. Have the machines call up every voter in the state a few times, and then have the live person phone banking campaign to further drill it home to the voters and reinforce the message. Hit every voter up 2-3 times with the automated recording, then at least 1 time with a live person.

[skiingff]

The best approach is to feed all the numbers through a web database. People log into the site and just push a button to get fed a number, then there will be a checkbox for whether or not the call was made successfully, and a text box to enter in a report ticket on the call. The database would handle the rest.

Not too hard to do for somebody with skills in this area, and the hosting cost would not be astronomical either.

Excellent idea. And oh yea, for the same cost we can get all voter phone # info. in New Hampshire PLUS all the voter's addresses.

Meaning, with the voter information we purchase, not only can we do a phone banking/recorded message campaign or whatever, but also a letter-writing campaign. Think about it.

This campaign needs New Hampshire.

[work2win]

Telemarketing leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Obviously there is some for a good cause, but the bad has ruined it for everyone. It just makes me angry when I receive a call no matter what or who it is from.

What about letter writing? People are seriously impressed by the small effort I put into my self-burned DVDs with a mosaic flyer on the cover. A handwritten envelope with a short note and flyer inside should generate a similar reaction. We could do some serious damage with the online army.

[paulitics]

Telemarketing leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Obviously there is some for a good cause, but the bad has ruined it for everyone. It just makes me angry when I receive a call no matter what or who it is from.

What about letter writing? People are seriously impressed by the small effort I put into my self-burned DVDs with a mosaic flyer on the cover. A handwritten envelope with a short note and flyer inside should generate a similar reaction. We could do some serious damage with the online army.

Yeah I like the mailout idea better and I think is more effective. If we do telemarketing , I prefer the pre-recorded RP message.

[skiingff]

Telemarketing leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Obviously there is some for a good cause, but the bad has ruined it for everyone. It just makes me angry when I receive a call no matter what or who it is from.

What about letter writing? People are seriously impressed by the small effort I put into my self-burned DVDs with a mosaic flyer on the cover. A handwritten envelope with a short note and flyer inside should generate a similar reaction. We could do some serious damage with the online army.

Yes, we may only be purchasing the addresses, because phone records are an additional 3 cents per record... ouch.

Many people hang up on phone calls and don't like automated recordings. They might write any phone calls off as solicitations.

But yea, I think people like getting free, catchy looking stuff in the mail. Maybe we can do a mail campaign instead?

Everyone would be able to participate in a direct mail campaign, even the people who are afraid to talk on the phone.

I got a pre-printed letter that was signed in ink by my state senator, and that REALLY made me take notice - I thought that was really cool to get that letter. Yea, it was sent out to everybody, but I've never randomly received a letter like that in the mail from a politician, without having signed up for something.

What do you think?

[work2win]

Think about what it would be like to receive a handwritten envelope and note from someone on the other side of the country!

Handwritten=Gold in the fast paced world of today.

[skiingff]

Awesome, 3 Meetup organizers in NH are now working on obtaining the voter list with addresses.

As soon as we get our hands on it, we can send DVDs, hand written letters etc

I agree, much more effective than an automated phone call

[TechnoGuyRob]

Wonderful!

Where do we sign up? :)

[Badger Paul]

Letters and postcards will work much better than automated phone calls.

Get mailing addresses.

Plus, RP will win if he gets lots independent support in the NH primary and I think you can get more of those voters through personal letters and postcards.

[LibertyEagle]

So do we want exclusively pre-recorded messages? A mixture of pre-recorded messages and phone banking? Exclusively phone banking with real people?

I believe a mixture would be great. Have the machines call up every voter in the state a few times, and then have the live person phone banking campaign to further drill it home to the voters and reinforce the message. Hit every voter up 2-3 times with the automated recording, then at least 1 time with a live person.

A mixture, I think. I didn't word my statement very well. I think this phone bank is a great idea. I was just thinking about supplementing it, because we won't be able to reach everyone. Repetition, as you have pointed out before, is important too. :)

What you are proposing is a great idea.

[LibertyEagle]

So do we want exclusively pre-recorded messages? A mixture of pre-recorded messages and phone banking? Exclusively phone banking with real people?

I believe a mixture would be great. Have the machines call up every voter in the state a few times, and then have the live person phone banking campaign to further drill it home to the voters and reinforce the message. Hit every voter up 2-3 times with the automated recording, then at least 1 time with a live person.

A mixture, I think. I didn't word my statement very well. I think this phone bank is a great idea. I was just thinking about supplementing it, because we won't be able to reach everyone. Repetition, as you have pointed out before, is important too. :)

The only question I have and I guess someone in NH would have to answer it. How will New Hampshire residents feel about people from out-of-state calling them?

[wgadget]

I'll be happy to write hand-written letters. No thank you on the phone bank. I hate it when people call me about politics. Just my opinion, tho.

[10thAmendmentMan]

Definitely don't do recordings. Firstly, I got one of those yesterday, so I guess the official campaign is already doing it. Secondly, they're annoying. No one wants to pick up a phone and listen to an automated recording.

[Brock Landers]

I'd do either (the letter-writing and/or the calling). I think I would personally be more receptive to an actual supporter of a candidate giving a 1 minute speech on a candidate's key points (and then allowing a Q&A session afterward), than ANY call with an automated message (as soon an I hear the click and the dorky 'Hello' I can tell that it's a pre-recorded message and I automatically hang up).

The letter-writing sounds promising as well, as it's less-intrusive....as long as we can get a lot of people on-board then I could see how it might be effetive....but it will certainly take a LOT of manhours to do all that hand-writing (although we have plenty of manhours available...we just need more projects that will make use of them).

Sign me up....I'll write or call or whatever.

[LibertyEagle]

I'll be happy to write hand-written letters. No thank you on the phone bank. I hate it when people call me about politics. Just my opinion, tho.

I love it. I use it to ask them all kinds of questions about their candidates' stance. :D It's a great opportunity to point out to them, in a nice way, how very misdirected their candidate is.

[paulitics]

bump

[klamath]

I started writing letters to the newspapers in NH and got a response from one that said we were doing more harm than good. I posted it here and guys from NH absolutely agreed. People in NH hate out of staters trying to influence their vote. Is this in any way going to have that effect?

[erowe1]

So how do we sign up for this?

[erowe1]

Also, how do we make sure we're not doubling up on something the official campaign and the NH meetups are handling? Are we coordinating with them in any way?

[work2win]

I started writing letters to the newspapers in NH and got a response from one that said we were doing more harm than good. I posted it here and guys from NH absolutely agreed. People in NH hate out of staters trying to influence their vote. Is this in any way going to have that effect?

This is definitely something we should consider.

[LibertyEagle]

Absolutely. If New Hampshire folks don't like to hear from out-of-staters, then maybe we shouldn't do this.

[klamath]

If there are some NH guys out there to give us your opinions on this.

[paulitics]

I started writing letters to the newspapers in NH and got a response from one that said we were doing more harm than good. I posted it here and guys from NH absolutely agreed. People in NH hate out of staters trying to influence their vote. Is this in any way going to have that effect?

writing letters to the newspapers about what? The deadline? Need more info.

[klamath]

writing letters to the newspapers about what? The deadline? Need more info.

I was writing in support of RP.

[Leslie Webb]

What a Mail Campaign Can Do- this was in 1964, and times have changed, with the media paying inordinate attention now to New Hampshire and the average Joe being extremely jaded to political direct mail soliciting money. Still, an organized writing campaign could be very effective.

From an article by Sean Scallon, August 2007

"In 1964, just before the New Hampshire primary, an average Joe named Paul Grindle didnt particularly care for the choice of candidates running for the Republican nomination for President.

So he decided to run his own candidate for president.

With the help of a few friends and using the most sophisticated marketing techniques at the time, Grindle created a boomlet for Henry Cabot Lodge, former Massachusetts U.S. Senator, 1960 GOP Vice-Presidential candidate and then the U.S. ambassador to South Vietnam. Lodge wasnt running for anything, his name wasnt even on the New Hampshire ballot.

Grindle and his friends mailed out postcards to New Hampshire Republicans to find out if there was support for Lodge which they found out there was. Then they mailed out fliers for Lodge, letters for Lodge and pamphlets demonstrating how to write Lodges name on the ballot. They even opened a headquarters for him in Concord.

All that postage spent for eventually paid off. Lodge won the New Hampshire Primary with a write-in vote, beating out that year eventual GOP nominee Barry Goldwater and former Vice-President Nelson Rockefeller despite all their money, all their TV ads and vast campaign apparatuses deployed in the Granite State. "

[katao]

I vote for a letter writing campaign, as long as NH folks don't mind getting out of state letters. People DO read non-junk-mail-looking stuff.

[partypooper]

if you actually have the list of phone numbers for all NH residents (i didn't understand whether you do) it will be relatively easy to do the real scientific survey of voter preference. you just need to form a random sample of about 2000 numbers from that list and call them.

i mean, it will still be some substantive work but obtaining the list (what statisticians call "frame") is the most difficult part of polling.

[LibertyEagle]

A couple of New Hampshire folks chimed in and said that this was not a good idea. They said that NH residents did not exactly appreciate outsiders telling them how to vote.

My understanding was that this issue was dropped.

[paulitics]

A couple of New Hampshire folks chimed in and said that this was not a good idea. They said that NH residents did not exactly appreciate outsiders telling them how to vote.

My understanding was that this issue was dropped.

No, the problem was that NH newspaper journalists were getting upset that so many of us were writing them, etc. They didn't like the top heavy ratio of out of staters influencing their local politics. This is completely different than doing a mailout campaign to NH residents.

Mailouts have been used by every succesful campaign. Mailouts, neighborhood canvassing, even telephone calls, all work. So we should just let a handful of NH meetups do this, reach hundreds of thousands of voters? Come on. They should be canvassing, meeting people face to face, not licking envelopes. They can't begin to do all that work.

Why we wouldn't do this to raise awareness of Ron Paul's message when he is still not known by most people baffles me. A mailout is harmless, it can be generic if handwritten is too much. To think someone is going to say, Im not going to vote for RP because this letter came from Pennsylvania is ludicrous, especially considering how much Mitt Romeny crap they have been bombarded with. And Mitt Romney is probably going to win this state, not for being better but for being smarter. Notice he is very low in most states but is beating everyone in the early states, the ones that most matter most.

[forsytjr]

If anyone is doing autocalls to NH, please stop. The campaign is already doing many of these, and adding more unofficial ones is making it so we get 8 calls in a day, and it is generating a lot of complaints, which means lost votes.