Georgia Dems to knock on doors with the Senate on the line

Some liberal activists have questioned the decision to leave in-person contact with voters as November approaches, mainly to Republicans, who exceeded voting expectations even as President Donald Trump was beaten in the election. presidential race. But now Democrats say they can safely apply, even as cases of Covid-19 are pouring in Georgia and across the country.

L’Ossoff and Warnock campaigns require volunteers to wear masks at all times, to move six feet away from doors before anyone responds, to use hand sanitizer after touching surfaces, and to declare that ‘they are symptom-free and have not been in contact with anyone suspected or confirmed to be positive for Covid-19 prior to their shift.

The rural epidemiologist trained the management of field staff on safety instructions, in accordance with the coordinated campaign. Campaigns also have full-time staff who make sure safety protocols are followed.

Campaigns are not alone in their efforts. Some progressive organizations, including the Working Families Party, returned to in-person prospecting in the state over the weekend. And the Georgia State Democratic Party is launching an in-person canvass this week specifically for ballot processing, an effort to help voters resolve any issues with mail-in ballots, which are mailed out. starting this week. This program will run during the days following the second round on January 5th.

Door-to-door protocols were evolving for a number of grassroots groups, who weighed the merits of potentially putting canvassers at risk while finding ways to engage the hard-to-reach voters Democrats need to win in january.

“It is a heightened awareness that we must do whatever we can to ensure our safety, protect voters, but also not to lose credibility,” said Nse Ufot, CEO of the New Georgia Project. Ufot said his organization needed to be even more aware of the risks of in-person outreach, as black voters, who make up around 30% of the Georgian electorate and typically make up half of Democrat supporters, are among the most affected. disproportionately. by the pandemic.

“No one knows the risk more than we do,” Ufot continued. “And we also understand how important it is to make sure voters show up at this time.”

Earlier this month, Ossoff told POLITICO his campaign was still exploring how to organize a safe field operation, but he highlighted the campaign’s phone-banking efforts and other means of reaching voters who do not do not involve in-person contact.

“The team is always working on all health implications and making sure that our volunteers and workers, and especially voters, are safe and healthy in everything we do,” said Ossoff.

The Democrats’ new effort comes as several Republican groups have already started soliciting voters. Americans for Prosperity and PAC Speaking Women, backed by Koch, are affiliated with anti-abortion group SBA List, run door-to-door programs around the state. The Republican National Senate Committee announced an extensive field program for the two rounds of voting comprising 21 regional directors and 1,000 field agents across the state.

Democrats have organized themselves on the ground, but most groups have ended their door-to-door programs after the outbreak of the pandemic. Other groups have adjusted their protocols to cope with the new environment.

“In fact, it took us months to get to the point where we developed careful and substantial precautions where risks were low,” said Liz Cattaneo, spokesperson for For Our Future, a political action group. base who conducted field operations in Pennsylvania. , Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan and Florida.

According to Cattaneo, the group didn’t just focus on the use of personal protective equipment; they hired a full-time internal health manager who led the mandatory health training sessions for all organizers. Cattaneo said none of its organizers this year contracted the coronavirus.

Britney Whaley, senior political strategist with the Working Families Party in Georgia, said the group’s goal was to strike 750,000 doors. She said their protocols include canvassers wearing masks and bringing extra masks with them for voters to their homes, and leaving literature if the voter does not want to put on a mask.

“It has always been important to meet people where they are – at home and in their communities,” said Whaley. “We wanted to make sure that we were talking to and communicating with our employees in the best way that we know how, while protecting them.”

Warnock’s Special Election Opponent Named GOP Senator Kelly Loeffler has self-isolated after testing positive for Covid-19 over the weekend, although the Senator has since revealed that she has tested negative two days in a row and plans to return to the electoral track. Loeffler campaigned alongside Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.), His second-round counterpart, and Vice President Mike Pence on Friday, raising concerns about the spread of the virus.

Following Loeffler’s exposure to Covid-19, Ossoff called on Loeffler and Perdue to demand that masks be worn during their campaign events. The two senators have hosted several indoor events where attendees are largely maskless, a practice that health officials say is accelerating the spread of the virus. The campaigns provided masks but did not demand them at their launch rallies around the state earlier this month.

On Monday, Perdue appeared alongside newly re-elected Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) in an open field, with participants generally spaced, according to event photos.