Get-Out-The-Vote (G-O-T-V)
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Latino voter turnout is growing at a rate four times faster than the general population. Over 70% of Latinos who were registered to vote voted in the 2004 presidential election. To be accurate, Latino voter turnout needs to be determined on the basis of how many were registered to vote and how many voted, and not on the basis of voting age population. Only those analysts and pundits who want to distort the facts and hide the truth determine Latino voter turnout on the basis of voting age population. The worse ones even include noncitizens of voting age in determining Latino voter turnout. The reason that persons of voting age who are not registered need to be factored out of the equation is that, on election day, they would not be allowed to vote even if they wanted to or tried. The reason that persons of voting age who are not citizens need to be factored out of the equation is that it would be illegal for them to vote, even if they wanted to or tried. Only those who are citizens of voting age and registered to vote can vote on election day, and it is only from that pool of registered voters that voter turnout can accurately be determined.
Campaign Essentials
A well-organized G-O-T-V campaign should precede every election. A well organized campaign will recruit an adequate number of volunteers, provide some training on basic reasons why people should vote, target the voters to be contacted, an include a calendar with daily and weekly goals and a final goal. Some G-O-T-V campaigns may rely entirely on phone banks. Others may use some phone banks and include door-to-door. While others may include phone banks, door-to-door, post cards, and sound trucks. A shotgun approach would rely on public service messages on radio, television, and newspapers designed to impress upon all voters the importance of the upcoming election and reminding them that it is their civic duty to vote. This approach is not necessarily geared to maximize voter turnout in a targeted community, which is usually the purpose for a G-O-T-V campaign.
An effective G-O-T-V campaign in the Latino community would speak to the specific issues that will mobilize voters. Voters must be given a reason to vote and a well-trained group of volunteers can carry out a very successful G-O-T-V campaign. In other words, G-O-T-V volunteers should be trained to "spot" the issue that will resonate with the voter. For instance, speak to a senior citizen about Social Security and not about cuts in early childhood education. Speak to young parents about early childhood education, headstart, and bilingual education and not about the war in Iraq. Speak to parents with teenagers about financial assistance for college and not about social security. Speak to parents about home ownership and not about abolishing the national service corps. Speak to young adults about protecting our voting rights and civil rights and not about eliminating the mortgage interest tax deduction. Speak to low-income voters about cuts in public assistance to the elderly, children, and single mothers and not about making English the official language. Speak to the working poor about a living wage, protecting the earned income tax credit, and occupational safety standards and not about threats to eliminate charitable contributions deductions. In short, for the message to resonate with the voter it must speak to the voter's self-interest. What's in it for him/her? Why should I? Those are very legitimate questions and deserve legitimate answers. Our response could determine whether or not that voter will vote. That is why training is so important.
(G-O-T-V) Potential
It's easy to find people who will say that too many Latinos did not vote in the last election, and they may actually know people who did not vote. They are the first ones who should volunteer to organize a nonpartisan G-O-T-V campaign. If enough people/volunteers would get together in every community and compile a list of the names of people they know who did not vote in the last election, they would compile a list large enough to substantially increase Latino voter turnout in the next election. These individuals and other concerned citizens are strongly urged to contact USHLI for assistance in organizing an effective, nonpartisan voter registration, voter education, and G-O-T-V campaign in their community prior to the next election and before every subsequent election. Call USHLI and ask for Eira L. Corral or Ricardo Lopez at 312-427-8683 or via email at ecorral@ushli.org or rlopez@ushli.org.
