Getting out the vote in London, England
Because we may be 4,000 miles away – but those Americans are lurking everywhere. Mainly in Harrods and Westminster Abbey, but still… You’ve got to take ‘grassroots canvassing’ to its logical conclusion, haven’t you?
To explain: I joined the Obama London group for a rally on the South Bank yesterday. The group is mostly made up of Americans, but Brits are kindly allowed 
. There was much chatting, much elightening talk from American expats (including the group organiser Karin, who’s a paid DNC staffer living over here), much badge-wearing and banner-waving and shouting and smiling… and much walking – all the way up to Trafalgar Square and beyond – in the search for Americans. The point being to make sure they’re registered to vote. And preferably that they’ll then vote for Barack Obama, of course… But mainly that they’re registered to vote. Every little counts.
Several of us were interviewed by the press; and as we walked (and shouted), we got lots of smiles and thumbs-up and the occasional American stopping to tell us they’d voted for Obama (yes, you can already vote in some states). We also got one American woman shouting at us that John McCain was going to win. But I think she’d just stepped off the London Eye, and was feeling a little dizzy. Aww.
More pictures here.
Tags: barack obama, england, get out the vote, london, obama london, obama rally
October 12th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
It looks like you had a good turnout. Sadly I couldn’t make it down yesterday. Looks like it went better than when I came down for the event with Paul Tewes a couple of weeks ago. I came down espeically to photograph it, but then had two cameras break down on me!! And then canvassing at Marble Arch Tube and Oxford St at half five wasn’t a particularly great idea. But what photos I’ve got I’ll upload today to my site, with a link to here.
October 12th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
ahh, cool! yes please, do. I would have loved to have gone to that Paul Tewes event – how was it?
October 12th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Hi Andrea,
Thanks for the report on our rally yesterday – I’m glad you could make it! We had a terrific turnout – aided I’m sure by the stunning weather.
Just one slight correction to your report – you say Americans can already vote in many states. In fact, Americans abroad can already vote in EVERY state. And they should be casting their ballots starting right now!
All our expat voters are “early voters” – they need to post their absentee ballots in the next week to be certain of getting them back in time. If a US voter living abroad hasn’t received their stat ballot yet, they can vote using a Federal Write in Absentee Ballot (FWAB), which they can get by completing the form on this website:
http://www.votefromabroad.org/4
Thanks for your support!
Karin
PS: We still urgently need volunteers for phone banking (Americans only please) and canvassing (open to all!) across the country. Please e-mail me if you want to pitch in: robinsonkj@dnc.org
October 12th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
ahh sorry I didn’t realise that about voting in all states! thanks for the correction.
October 12th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
It was good. Particularly to see and hear from someone who has been on the ground with the man himself. It was really interesting to speak to him personally about working as a photographer on the campaign, which I’m looking to do for the last two weeks. His advice base yourself in the middle of Iowa, get a car, and just drive around the swing states.
Which means that phrase of ‘A week is a long time in politics’ or in this case two, is really pertinent. Thankfully I think most of the campaign will now be directed in a shorter space, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Now if I can just get my press accreditation accepted…
October 12th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
ooooh how exciting!! good for you.
and good luck with the accreditation. would you be up for posting photos to this blog at all?!
October 13th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Of course I would!! That’s if I get my accreditation, which I’ve waiting a week to hear back from. So it’s looking a little bit dodgy at present. Otherwise I’ll be here trying to keep myself awake through the early hours of Nov 5th. But as were going to see the historic election of America’s first Black president, I think I’ll stay awake.
Otherwise I’ll save the money and settle for the Inauguration instead.