The Marshall University Students for Barack Obama organization, which has swelled from four members to more than 270 in the past few months, will team up with other Obama supporters to launch a One Million for Change canvass with the goal of knocking on one million doors before the Ohio primary March 4.
The effort is an opportunity to reach out to Ohio voters with information and literature about Obama, said Jennifer Austin, field organizer for the Obama for America campaign.
The Ohio members of the Obama for America organization have been working long hours to prepare for this historical movement in the making, Austin said.
The group has followed voting trends, looked at demographics and voter information, compiled target neighborhoods and prepared lists of Ohio residents believed to be registered Democrats, Austin said.
"For the final push for the campaign, we're emphasizing literally knocking on one million doors, having face-to-face contact with people," Austin said. "That's the most effective interaction we can have with people in such a short period of time."
Caitlin Yahr, media coordinator for Marshall University Students for Barack Obama, said that this student organization is one of the fastest growing on campus. She said it has grown exponentially within months.
Daniel Jonas, senior ecology major and associate media coordinator for Marshall University Students for Barack Obama, encourages interested volunteers to get involved.
"If you have a few hours to spare for a good cause you should consider it. This is a really cool movement," Jonas said. "It's not hard to talk to people who are willing to listen."
In the event participants encounter voters who are supporters for another candidate, they do not try to sway the voters' decisions. They just move on to those who are on the fence or are definite supporters of Obama to make sure voters make it to the polls, Yahr said.
The staging locations for the campaign open today kicking off the Get Out and Vote movement, which will pave the way for One Million for Change, Austin said.
Various staging locations will be set up all over Ohio with two shifts available per day. Participants are coached, given maps, resident lists and a script and then sent on their way to knock for support.
The chapter coordinator Dan Hager hopes to sweep Ohio - not with big names, but with big numbers.
"Obama's campaign has swept the nation. I've been a supporter since February of last year," Hager said. "Now the rest of the country is catching up with me."
The Herd for Hillary group has been supporting the potential Democratic nominee by taking place in a phone bank effort - calling Ohio residents to speak about the upcoming election.
To find out more about One Million for Change visit www.oh.barakobama.com/OHOneMillion.com.
Erin Thompson can be contacted at thompson234@marshall.edu.
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