Join the "Healthcare NOT Warfare" campaign!
PDA 2006 Election Video
» 56K modem
» broadband
Stop Funding War Video
» All
formats
Click here for the Congressional Schedule
![[Improve and Expand Medicare! Send your FREE Fax!]](http://www.1payer.net/ads/1payerfaxad.jpg)
Over thirty senior PDA field leaders in two dozen states responded to PDA's National Leadership Survey which asked the questions: "What are you doing (or what is going on in your state) to register new voters before the state cut-off date?" "What are you doing (or what is going on in your state) to Get Out The Vote?” "What local candidates are PDA chapters backing in your area?” And, “Do you dovetail efforts for that candidate with your Obama GOTV efforts?”
The responses were AMAZING:
Progressive Democrats in Sonoma County reported being hard at work walking precincts, making pone calls, and registering voters for locally endorsed candidates as well as for Senator Obama. Members of PDA in Sonoma County were mobilizing poll workers and election observers, they were going to Nevada and other key states to GOTV, and they were focused on Healthcare Not Warfare, the Emergency Paper Ballot Resolution, and Election Integrity.
In San Diego, PDA members who had been trained as precinct leaders overseeing entire zip codes of precincts had also participated in voter registration drives at college campuses where thousands of new voters were registered. And in one chapter the membership was backing six local candidates!
In Illinois, local PDA leaders organized registration and canvassing trips to swing states and supported GOTV efforts for local progressive candidates for state office. Members of PDA-Chicago traveled to Gary, Indiana, to register and canvass voters. Members of PDA IL -CD 19 travelled to St. Louis to work at Obama HQ. Members of the Rockford Progressive fusion chapter (16th CD), traveled with allies from labor, DFA, and other progressive groups to Obama offices in Beloit, Wisconsin, to GOTV. And two Illinois PDA chapters were working in congressional races.
A PDA coordinator in Barry County, Michigan, talked about how Democratic activity there was virtually non-existent before the Obama campaign infused new life into their chapter, which was now canvassing on the phone and door to door to get out the vote and is supporting two Progressive Democrats running in local elections, one running for drain commissioner and one for township trustee. Talk about grassroots organizing!
The report from Virginia said in part, "Last weekend alone, we registered over 300 people. Statewide, we registered over 283,000 from January 1 through September 15— 40% of whom are under the age of 25. 283,000!! And Chuck Pennachio of PA said their team registered over 300 students at University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
North Carolina PDA was active in canvassing and phone banking. PDAers in Alabama were working at Obama headquarters. One hundred and eighty people showed up at one PDA HQ to watch the first debate! Maryland PDA is turning Virginia blue. PDAers in Rochester, NY, have endorsed three candidates. In Colorado PDAers are being trained as poll watchers. PDA MA took a youth team to Philadelphia. And PDA organizing teams across the country were seeking out voters in schools, transit terminals, nursing homes, boarding houses, and labor unions. As one coordinator wrote, "You name it, we get to it."
Sue Baritell concluded her report, "I can't tell you how much the people in PDA have enriched my life." The PDA national team stands in awe of, and has the deepest respect for, your efforts. And when Senator Obama is elected, our work will shift into even higher gear as new opportunities present themselves to progressive organizers and visionaries to advance the Progressive Agenda. The field organizers of PDA are our leaders. And we are grateful.
PDA National News RSS Feed