This is a crucial election. Winning it requires a historical turnout: all Democrats, all newly registered voters, all who thought till now that they could afford not to participate. We need to GET OUT THE VOTE (see article).

photo: John Kerry listening to voters during a roundtable discussion in Dover, New Hampshire. October 25, 2004.

Photo courtesy Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc. from Sharon Farmer

What will you do this week that is more important than helping John Kerry be elected president? (And saving us from four more years of Bush and Cheney!)
What's your plan for helping?

• Going to the Swing States
• Making phone calls all week (and now you can do it for free)
• Walking precincts
• Working up a storm starting on Saturday

It's all about GETTING OUT THE VOTE!

Those final 72 hours before the election: Democratic staffers in the Swing States will need all the help we can give TO GET OUT THE VOTE.

The Republicans have done it before: won an election by making an all-out effort during the last 72 hours (that's how they defeated Senator Max Cleland in Georgia). Don't let it happen again.

To arrange Swing State travel, please email Tina Valkanoff, Road Trip to Victory Coordinator for Northern California, at TinaValkanoff@aol.com or contact her by phone at 415-896-2681 ext. 6. She will make sure that all Swing State travel (excepting to Reno) is coordinated with the right people on the ground. For trips to Reno, Nevada, please contact our Reno coordinators at belle@ednbelle.com and marleo@pacbell.net.

The Swing State staffers will need a maximum number of volunteers to get out the vote on November 2. Help them identify volunteers and get them out working. We called Colorado, and we called Colorado, and we called Colorado. And now George Bush keeps on having to go there, trying to shore up his base. Let's keep up the good work.

Note that in Florida, due to the recent hurricanes, local Democratic offices have been overwhelmed and unable to contact many Palm Beach voters. You can help reach voters in this critical area.

Making phone calls to Swing States has gotten even easier. Options to choose from:

• Phone banking events (see the links listed on the right for information on local phone banks)
  Please note that we have several new phone banking locations in the San Jose, Sunnyvale and Cupertino areas—you don't need to do a lot of driving to participate in a phone bank. Check the list of links on the right for Otto Lee's office (where some land lines are available if you do not have a cell phone) and a number of private homes. And good news: if you don't have a cell phone to bring to a phone banking event, come anyway. We have received free cell phones from the DNC. That's right—you can come in and call for free. So what's keeping you?
• Call from home using lists provided when you register at calls.JohnKerry.com. Join the Kerry-Edwards Phone Corps!
• Online phone banking to Colorado. Please contact Liz Hutchins at phonebank@coloradovictory2004.com at Colorado Victory 2004 for more information or click here for instructions.
• Call Florida from the comfort of your home, using your computer to access call lists (from now till Nov. 1; all calls must be finished by 5:00 to 5:30 pm our time). This system is for callers who have already made calls from an organized phone bank. Go to sfbayareadems4florida.org to begin phoning now (contact Nina Horne at nhdp@sbcglobal.net for more information).

GET OUT THE VOTE. Get out the vote. Get out the vote. It's important to do that in California too. We want to ensure that John Kerry wins California convincingly, and we want Democrats to be elected to local positions, to the House, and to the Senate. Get information on Santa Clara County precinct walking at our website.

It's all about GETTING OUT THE VOTE this time around.
So many dirty tricks to keep voters from voting, to intimidate voters so they don't go to the polls, to disqualify voters—we all of us must work together to GET OUT THE VOTE. If the Democratic majority in this country votes (and all the newly registered Democrats, and all the Republicans fearful of another 4 years with Bush)—there'll be a Democrat in the White House come January.

From October 30 through November 2, we will gear up for a special GOTV effort:

• Travelers will help on the ground in the Swing States.
• Phone banks will be going 16 hours a day in every county.
• Volunteers will be walking precincts and getting out the vote.

You can help on the weekend, before work, after work; you could take November 2 off from work. Find ways to help at our website.

A year ago, most of us would not have thought of being so active in a political campaign, and we would not have dreamed that we could make a difference in the last four days of the campaign—the Great Get Out the Vote. Well, the last four days are here—and you can make a difference. But you need to plan now. What are you doing this weekend? On Monday after work? On Tuesday, Election Day?

Is there anything more important than helping to correct and change our course in history—and protecting your children's future?

With unprecedented organization and technology in this year's election, you can make a difference in critical Swing States and locally.

There is one thing all pollsters now agree on. The Presidential Election will be decided by turnout. We are now down to politics 101. And with our ability to reach out to Ohio, Florida, and other key battleground states, you can be a part of the Great Get Out The Vote effort. Some of us are traveling to Swing States; others are using Internet and cell phone technology to be a part of the battles on the ground.

We also have a spectacular ground effort locally, for John Kerry, and for Democrats up and down the ticket.

So far, the enthusiasm and turnout have been tremendous. I have seen many elections—I have never seen anything like this. It is exciting and gratifying.

Now for the Final Four. I am expecting nothing less than historic turnout motivated by amazing volunteer enthusiasm and work. Be a part of it. Plan as much time as you can for the Final Four. This page will tell you how. You will share in the enthusiasm and exhilaration of being a true part of change for our country. I expect these to be four long, hard-working and exciting days—we'll see you there!

Then on Wednesday morning, you can relax and say "President-Elect Kerry."

John Soper
Co-Coordinator
Silicon Valley For Kerry

Let's give the GOTV effort all we have—and then let's celebrate together! The San Jose/Almaden and the Palo Alto offices of the Democratic Party will be hosting Election Night celebrations, starting at 8:01pm—the minute after the polls close. Food and drink will be provided—please bring a friend and celebrate the close of a historic effort! The offices are located at:
Palo Alto: 3898 El Camino Real
San Jose: South Bay Labor Temple, 2102 Almaden Rd

The San Jose/Moorpark office may be adding an Election Night party as well; contact them at 408-292-7934 for details.

Friends of the Kerry/Edwards Campaign in San Francisco created a very positive, well done Flash animation entitled "Visualize Winning" that is inspiring and has a touch of humor. It was not created by or for the Kerry campaign, but because their servers are stressing under the load, we’re hosting a copy for our visitors to view (no waiting!) So please click here to watch and prepare to be fired up!