Desperate or Dumb?

[Weird Harold]

I had to make a trip to the grocery store earlier and the store I went to was one of our Early Voting Polls. Since Tody is the last dayof Early voting here, I wasn't very surprised to see a long line of people waiting to vote at the last minute.

What did surprise me was the number of "electioneers" crowded up against the legal distance they have to stay away from polling places and waving signs at cars from all corners of the intersection.

What's the point?

People who vote early already know who and what they're going to vote for; waving sign in their face isn't likely to change an early voters' mind.

I can understand the electioneers hanging around polls on Election day itself when "undecideds" can't procrastinate on any issue or candidate without completely abstaining but why waste time -- and in my case good-will -- by "harrassing" people who just need a jar of bullion when there's virtually no hope of changing an early voter's mind -- especialy if they're willing to stand in a 500+ Yd yard line to vote when they don't really have to.

I did note that none of the signs supported anything or anyone with a lead in the polls here, no matter how slim the lead. Just how desperate do these electioneers have to be to fight for the one or two votes picketing early voting polls might garner their cause.

The only conclusion I can draw is either very desperate or very dumb -- which does nothing to recommend their causes to me if I were inclined to be influenced on any issue this election.

 

[cantdog]

I rather think it would take an arrest and conviction as a serial rapist of farm animals to change anyone's mind at this point. Far more effective to get the vote out, in my view.

The country seems to be mostly in two True Believer camps, really.

 

[Boxlicker101]

I've often wondered about the value of a sign or bumper sticker or lapel pin saying "Vote for Smith" or similar message. Assuming that I know something about Smith - or Jones or Brown or Wang, I will either vote for them or not and a message like that will have no effect.

 

[Weird Harold]

I've often wondered about the value of a sign or bumper sticker or lapel pin saying "Vote for Smith" or similar message. Assuming that I know something about Smith - or Jones or Brown or Wang, I will either vote for them or not and a message like that will have no effect.

It's name recognition mostly.

If you recognise the name when you're suffering a bout of "test anxiety" at the voting machine, you vote for that name -- or against it depending on how annoying the name recognition campaign has been.

It's not a tactic that works on everyone, but it works well enough on a large enough percentage of people to be worth the expense of printing an distrubuting buttons ad bumper stickers.

PS: It's why I can understand the effort of electioneering as close to the polls as the law allows on election day -- but most people who suffer from "test anxiety" over voting don't vote early.

 

[Weird Harold]

The country seems to be mostly in two True Believer camps, really.

That's true over the presidential race but it's NOT true of other candidates and issues.

"Vote NO on Question/Prop Six" in most States is likely not a them vs us issue or one that divides the same way the presidential campaign has.

I didn't say, nor will I say, what issues or candidates were being waved in my face because that's not the issue or question. The question is "why do they waste their time."

I will say that there were no opposing opinions being touted -- all of the signs were on the losing side in the polls; which prompted the thought of desperation instead of "just dumb."

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Difficult to say, since I don't know who or what issue was being pushed, but since they are on the loosing side in the polls, there is a third option to desperate or dumb. Why not? If the issue is so important to you that you are loosing sleep and you have nothing better to do, why not go out and jhope a large number of people will influence a voter.

Florida was decided by less than 600 votes. If you can influence one or two to vote your way or simply discourage one or two who might vote the other way what have you lost? A few hours of your time you would have spent worrying anyway.

-Colly

 

[BlackShanglan]

Desperate or Dumb?

Damn, do I have to choose?

Shanglan

 

[Guest]

 

[Weird Harold]

Damn, do I have to choose?

Shanglan

Nope, you can do what Colleen did and provide an alternate explanation or choose "all of the above."

Florida was decided by less than 600 votes. If you can influence one or two to vote your way or simply discourage one or two who might vote the other way what have you lost? A few hours of your time you would have spent worrying anyway.

Wouldn't that come under the classification of "Desperation" when applied to electioneering early voting?

Or am I making an erroneous assumption about the Early Voters who are willing to stand in long lines?

It wasn't a situation where people could be convinced to vote who wouldn't otherwise because "the polls are right over there and it won't inconveience you" -- it was 30 minutes before the end of early voting here and there were hundreds of people in a line longer than I've experienced at any precinct polling place on election day.

It just seemed to be a pathetic waste of effort and an excercise in futility to me in the specific circumstances.

 

[fifty5]

I'm with Colly here: prolly it won't work, but if there's nothing better to do...


On another tack, I was recently a candidate in a local election. It was a humbling experience. My party didn't have a hope in hell of winning (that was a far-right candidate - who's already been had up for malpractise) but what gob-smacked me was how many more folk voted for me than for other candidates on the same ticket. One explanation was that I'd been a teacher at the local college - so maybe more people simply knew my name. Another was more to my taste - that in a bi-ethnic community I've always tried to react to actual events, not simply on prejudice.

Shit. I don't know. But it still made me proud (even if I'm not sure what I have to be proud of.)

Eff

 

[Edward Teach]

Electioneering at the polls can make a lot of difference in local races. First there is the image factor - being there - you are a player, etc. Then having poll workers who know lots of people can swing votes - if my friend Joe is for Shyster then Shyster must be ok.

I know a NC Supreme Court Justice who got elected primarily on the basis of putting out tons of yard signs. A city councilwoman who I will call Palamino had signs with an orange horse on them and it got her elected.

Ed

 

[gauchecritic]

Consider how many 'cold calls' you receive on the telephone, has anyone you know ever, I mean ever bought anything on the strength of a phone call interupting your dinner.

But they still do it, so it must be at least cost effective in terms of advertising or something. Or do the thousands of calls actually get the occasional taker, thus making it worthwhile.
I'm pretty sure the men in suits have undertaken many studies and when it's free time party workers doing the slog, what's to lose?

Consider too the other edge of the blade, maybe by being annoying enough they can cause a vote for the opposition not to be cast, which is as good as a vote for.

Gauche

 

[cantdog]

I'm with Colly here: prolly it won't work, but if there's nothing better to do...


On another tack, I was recently a candidate in a local election. It was a humbling experience. My party didn't have a hope in hell of winning (that was a far-right candidate - who's already been had up for malpractise) but what gob-smacked me was how many more folk voted for me than for other candidates on the same ticket. One explanation was that I'd been a teacher at the local college - so maybe more people simply knew my name. Another was more to my taste - that in a bi-ethnic community I've always tried to react to actual events, not simply on prejudice.

Shit. I don't know. But it still made me proud (even if I'm not sure what I have to be proud of.)

Eff

Strangely enough, there seems to be an advantage to be had by simply being ahead of your opponents in the alphabet, so that you get listed first.

People are weird.