Obama Backers, Others, Move Into Overdrive to Get Out the Vote

Sterling Grimes, 19, University of Maryland coordinator of Supporters for Barack Obama: "Our job is to get people to the polls who wouldn't necessarily go on their own." (Newsline photo by Paula Vasan)

Related Link: Special Report: Elections '08

By Paula Vasan
Maryland Newsline
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2008

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- They’ve been knocking on doors, calling registered voters, handing out flyers and chalking messages on campus sidewalks since September -- working with students at area universities to get the word out about their candidate.

In January, some of them traveled to Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina -- helping to galvanize the voters there before the early presidential primaries and caucuses.

Today, as Marylanders head to the polls for the primaries, these University of Maryland Students for Barack Obama (SFBO) are putting out extra effort, making phone calls and knocking on doors in Prince George’s County, trying to boost the delegate count for the senator from Illinois.

Their get-out-the-vote effort will be buttressed by that of College Democrats and College Republicans on campus. Working with the Student Government Association, they recruited at least one person from each residence hall floor to lead students to the polls.

“How many people go to the movies by themselves?” asked Jonathan Sachs, a sophomore government and politics major and president of the College Democrats, explaining the strategy. “It’s easier and more fun doing it in a group.”

Sterling Grimes, 19, chapter coordinator of SFBO, which has hundreds of chapters on high school, college and law school campuses across the country, said the Obama supporters have a similar strategy. “Our job is to get people to the polls who wouldn’t necessarily go on their own by showing them we’re interested and care about their individual votes,” he said.

The University of Maryland’s SFBO chapter consists of about 20 regularly active volunteers, but was expecting between 100 and 200 additional volunteers to help get out the vote during the final days leading up to the  primary, said SFBO Outreach Coordinator Chris Wilhelm.

Lines were long for Sen. Barack Obama on Monday at the University of Maryland. Campus police said some waited in line for hours to hear the Democratic presidential candidate. (Newsline photo by Paula Vasan)

The College Democrats and SFBO were co-sponsors of Obama’s wildly successful visit to campus on Monday.

Obama attracted about 19,500 students and faculty to the Comcast Center, said Paul Dillon, University of Maryland police spokesman. That’s more than the facility’s typical seating capacity of 17,500.

Some people waited in line for hours to secure a prime spot -- with the first-in-line arriving around 5:40 a.m., Dillon said. About 200 people had to be turned away, he said.

Sachs said the Democratic senator’s bid for president - and his message of unity and inclusion - have helped to interest students in voting even if they’re disinterested about politics.  “There’s just a buzz in this election,” he said.

“The youth vote is so critical, especially for Obama’s campaign,” said Brittany McGrath, 20, a government and politics major at the University of Maryland and SFBO membership coordinator.

Copyright © 2008 University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism

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