If anyone reading has any insight into how the No on 8 campaign was run in LA, I’d love to hear about it. Here in Sacramento, while there were phone banks leading up to Election Day, there was no actual, day-of get out the vote effort. Political hacks and community organizer types know get out the vote (GOTV) is generally a hallmark of winning campaigns (see eg: Obama, Barack). GOTV means you go back to the people you identified leading up to E-Day as supporters of your cause, and you make sure they vote. It means checking the lists of names at polling places and, when necessary, driving people to vote.

If the hundreds or thousands (depending on the area) had been able to do that sort of work on Election Day – it might not have defeated Prop 8, but the result would’ve been much closer.

If there’s another ballot measure and you want to beat it (or pass it, depending on how it’s written), make sure you beat down the door of the campaign for your side and insist on helping get out the vote. As another post discusses below, 1:1 marketing – what people in the field organizing business would also call voter contact – is the single most persusive way to reach voters and the single most effective way to get them to vote.

All the massively attended protests in the world Will Not Ensure Electoral Victory. Period.

I think the No on 8 campaign made some big mistakes. I hope I’m wrong and I hope someone who helped directly with the campaign in other cities can follow up this comment. If I’m right, we need to be really open, and really loud discussing the missteps so that we’re prepared for next time.

I too am a firm believer in democracy and the power of the vote. I’m a bigger fan of the Constitution that outlined how this country is to operate to ensure our freedoms. The majority isn’t always right at least in terms of constitutionality of what is being voted upon. “Separate but equal” isn’t part of the constitution which is why segregation and the “jim crow” laws were eventually overturned.

Prop 8 is about one group of people not happy with the interpretation of the constitution try to amend the constitution to fit their narrow moral view of how things should look. They were trying to limit rights of those in love to marry. Our constitutions are there to ensure equality for all and that is what is wrong with Prop 8. As a society we need to stand up to any effort to limit freedoms and enforce the constitution.

Kint..see discussions of the black vote on the other thread running http://la.metblogs.com/2008/11/05/no-on-8-isnt-dead-yet-gloria-allred-says-so/.

Just a little thought for the side, “Politics is the art of controlling your environment.”

I would like someone, maybe a black person to explain to me why they voted overwhelming for Prop 8.

Before anyone decides to call me homophobic etc – I actually voted NO and think everyone should be treated equal. I also believe in the power of democracy and majority rules and was interested to hear some thoughts on ‘next steps’