IL volunteer GOTV efforts & Republican sabotage in Toledo, Ohio!

Several Chicago volunteers drove out to Toledo, Ohio this weekend to do all we could to help Kerry in this battleground state. It was very encouraging to see Kerry/Edwards signs everywhere we went =) Some of our volunteers helped post even more yard signs near the convention center to help welcome Cheney today, too. Other volunteers lent a hand with leafletting as well.

Most of our efforts were working GOTV phone banks for Kerry/Edwards. Volunteers from California, Indiana, New York, Idaho, DC and Massachusetts were there as well to boost campaign efforts in Toledo. The local volunteers were very welcoming and enthusiastically optimistic about Ohio turning blue on Tuesday. The energy was high and very positive. The Toledo Blade ran a nice story on the volunteers which you can find here: http://tinyurl.com/4qpjx
I unfortunately was misquoted at the end and didn't like that they used the word "dispatched" since I made it clear that we were acting as independent volunteers going wherever we wanted to, but at least it sounds favorable for the Dems.

The particular phone bank that Nate, Mike from Toledo & I led all day yesterday was the largest Toledo area Kerry GOTV phone bank at Gallon and Takacs law offices. Out of the 8 phone banks that were in the Toledo area yesterday, this one produced one third of all of the contacts made. The Toledo area completed 16% of all of the calls made that day in Ohio.

Along with several of the other Chicago volunteers who showed up this morning ready to have another productive day, we were shocked to find out that the phones at this wonderful location were no longer working. Both the local phone company and the phone systems provider have confirmed to us that the fiber optic cable into the building was purposely severed (!!!) Many volunteers were rerouted to other locations and several also had to rely on cell phones when we found our lines down this morning. We thought it was an unfortunate coincidence until the phone company verified to us that the lines were intentionally cut.

These Republican dirty tactics are just one more reason that we have to give it all we've got in these last couple of days! Get to the battleground states & get everyone to the polls!!!

GO KERRY!!!!
Tanya