The Virginia Young Democrats hired 12 full-time organizers for the critical 2009 Gubernatorial and State Legislative elections. Our organizers had two, simultaneous goals: get large numbers of volunteers incorporated into the campaigns, and identify new members and volunteers as a way to build our membership for future elections.
135,300 Voter Contacts Later, We Have Done Just That
Virginia Beach will always be a critical place for Democrats, and VAYD invested in volunteer mobilization and volunteer recruitment. All told, VAYD contributed at least 18,000 voter contacts for the campaigns in Virginia Beach alone. VAYD hired two full time organizers to work on the campaigns in Virginia Beach: Kate Farr and Mary Kate Alwayrd. Kate was contributed in-kind to the campaign of the Delegate Bobby Mathieson. Mary Kate was contributed in-kind to the campaign of Delegate Joe Bouchard. Our organizers recruited volunteers and helped staff the campaigns in critical ways. Between the organizers and the volunteers they recruited, our two organizers in Virginia Beach generated 10,500 voter contacts.
Mathieson Invasion
On October 4th, members of the Virginia Young Democrats, the American University College Democrats, the Catholic University College Democrats, and Trinity University College Democrats took part in a 45-person canvass for Delegate Bobby Mathieson. The canvass yielded a 3,000 door pass-through of a critical universe for the Mathieson and statewide campaigns.
Bouchard-Mathieson Coordinated Invasion
The Virginia Young Democrats arranged for critical volunteers to be moved into Virginia Beach for a joint Bouchard-Mathieson Coordinated Invasion. Some of those 45 volunteers can be seen eating pizza with VAYD organizer Kate Farr. This program accounted for 2,000 voter contacts for the Bouchard, Mathieson, and statewide campaigns.
Building New Volunteers and New Chapters
The Virginia Young Democrats are a year-round organization. By hiring organizers and in-kinding them directly to campaigns in key areas, VAYD has been able to identify hundreds of new volunteers and dozens of potential new chapter leaders. Kate and Mary Kate have been very successful at using their roles on the Bouchard and Mathieson campaigns to identify key new young leaders throughout the beach. Aaron, pictured with Kate Farr above, is a Senior at Kempsville High School, and a prime example of the infrastructure building that our organizers have been able to do.
Young Dems Chapters
From canvasses for local city, county, statewide and legislative races (like the Tidewater YD's canvass for Matthew James, above) to tabling and visibility programs, to distributing tickets for President Obama's rally for Creigh Deeds, the Young Dems in Virginia Beach have been active in all levels of campaigning. The Old Dominion University Young Democrats, Virginia Beach Young Democrats, Norfolk Young Democrats, and Tidewater Area Young Democrats all played a critical role in special events and operations for campaigns in the Beach.
