How You Can Influence Voters in Swing States

Why it’s up to all of us to sway the swing states in this election.

Live in a blue state long enough, and you can forget just how nasty election season can be.

Between my years in New York City, and my current home just minutes outside the nation’s capital (and four years in the nation’s capitol when my vote really didn’t count), it’s been a while since I’ve been treated to the special situation that is a presidential election in a swing state. But this week, I’m visiting my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, and it has been a real reeducation, as the negative ads fly from both the left and the right.

Plus, both candidates are touching down in this, the most swinging of states this week, in a last-minute attempt to win the loyalty of the people before early voting begins on October 2. And that’s an important milestone in Ohio, where 30% of all voters cast their ballots early in 2008. As all the pundits keep reminding us, all roads to the presidency lead through the state that’s round on the ends and high in the middle.

Spend a few minutes here, and you’ll quickly understand that folks know exactly how important they are to the future of our country. My minutes on the ground have also reminded me of a promise I made while caught up in the rapture of the Democratic Convention: That I would get more involved.

It shouldn’t have taken fiery speeches to start me up; I’ve always been active, registering voters, phone banking and going door-to-door for every election since I was about 15. But this time around, it hasn’t been so easy to carry myself down to the volunteer office. Between my needy toddler and my packed work schedule, it just hasn’t been a priority. Besides, when you live in a state that always goes with the Democrat, doing anything outside of voting doesn’t have the same sense of urgency.