The Perks of Being a Phone Banker

This election season seems particularly long and, in some ways, brutal. As the Biden campaign says, we are in the “Battle for the Soul of the Nation”. The antidote for feeling frustrated and angry is to take action. Our top priority currently is to reach Anderson County voters and tell them how urgent it is that they vote in the November election. We are providing information about how to vote: voting in-person during early voting, voting in-person on Election Day, and voting by absentee ballot. We are using all the means available to us this year: mailings, texting, and phone calls. All of us making calls are calling from home on virtual phone banks using our computers, phones, or tablets. Research shows that talking to people works and increases turnout.

Why we do phone banking

• To Build our Democratic Community

• Letting other Dems know we are here and we are working for them.
  Many people don’t know there are other Democrats in our area and they are relieved to find out they are not alone and appreciate our call.

• We are sharing important and updated information about voting.

• We are reminding people that voting matters.

• We are making it less likely that John Ragan and Randy McNally will run unopposed in the future.
  Increasing Democratic turnout in Anderson County is critical. Demonstrating to potential local candidates that we have a strong base and can turn out these voters in an election will help us recruit good candidates to run for local, state, and national offices.

• Phone Banking helps us keep our database updated.
  It is important that we weed out bad numbers and add emails and mobile phone numbers as we can get them.

• It helps us recruit members and volunteers.

• It brings in new ideas.

• It is Necessary and Urgent

• Door to door canvassing is the most effective way to influence people to vote, but due to COVID-19 we are unable to do this. The next best thing is to reach people by phone and that is most effective if the person calling lives in their community.

• We can’t take anything for granted this election. Think about this, the conservative commentator Ben Shapiro has more interactions on his Facebook page than The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, ABC News and NBC News combined. 

• Voting turnout in Tennessee is about 44 percent. Together we can increase this!

• Perks of Phone Banking:

• You might make new friends.

• You might be the person who finds the next influential elected official.

• You might get a job-if you want one. True story: years ago while helping with a phone bank soliciting donations for the Arts Council of Oak Ridge, I spoke with a business owner that hired me for a job that I kept for 10 years until I retired. : )

• You will have a little more tolerance when similar calls come to you.

• You can volunteer from the comfort of your home, at your convenience anytime between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., for however much time you have available.

Many people don’t t like to get calls so don’t want to make calls, but from experience, many people are appreciative of our calls, and those that aren’t don’t answer anyway. Even if we are just leaving a message they know we are here and we are working for them. 

You never know when someone wants to reach out to us because we have made the effort to reach them. I urge you, not just for this election and removing  Donald Trump but for future elections.  Please step out of your comfort zone and help us make these phone calls. Seven out of 10 calls will be leaving this simple message:

I live in Anderson County and I am a volunteer with the Anderson County Democratic Party. For information about candidates and voting visit our website: AndersonCountyDemocraticParty.com. If you prefer to call the Election Commission for voting information, the number is 865-457-6238.

It is as simple as that.

Please CONTACT US to learn more or if you are interested in giving it a try. You will have help getting started.