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Siobhan “Sam” Bennett, Lehigh Valley field director for America Coming Together (ACT), will talk about her organization and its efforts to mobilize voters for the 2004 presidential election noon Wednesday in Kirby Hall of Civil Rights room 4.
Sponsored by the Kirby Government & Law Society, the event is part of the group’s 2004 Election Series. Free lunch will be provided.
One of the largest pro-Democratic “527” organizations in the country, ACT is creating what it calls “the largest voter contact program in history.” Founded and led by experienced political and grassroots leaders, the group is operating in 17 “battleground” states.
“ACT is targeting swing voters — such as pre-retirement women or younger voters — who need extra information about issues to persuade them to vote for John Kerry and Democrats in federal, state and local elections,” according to the organization. “ACT is also targeting Democratic base voters – such as African-American and Hispanics – who vote Democratic but need extra contact to persuade them to vote.”
ACT has had paid canvassers in battleground states since the spring.
“These canvassers, now more than 1,400 of them working from 55 offices, are assisted by thousands of volunteers,” states ACT. “We are making multiple contacts with targeted voters – in their homes and on the phone. ACT canvassers will make more than 17 million contacts with targeted swing and base Democratic voters by Election Day 2004.”
Through web-based voter files and Palm Pilots, ACT canvassers add information about targeted voters’ “personalized issue interests” and preferences directly to each voter file. The technology-driven voter contact program ensures that voters are contacted.