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
From Day One, VAYD recognized that Deeds Country was going to be central to the statewide campaign. Also important was using the local delegates races to boots turnout in key parts of Southside, the Valley, Central (Richmond westward), and Southwestern Virginia. Between our organizers, our campaign invasions, and our awesome chapters, Virginia Young Democrats made 31,850 voter contacts for the Delegates races and the statewide slate in this sprawling, critical region.
VAYD Organizers
Organizers play a critical role on any campaign. In Central and Southwestern Virginia, the addition of just one organizer can double the field staff on a campaign. In this critical region of the state, VAYD contributed full-time organizers to the Pratt for Delegate campaign, the Neff for Delegate campaign, and the Frank for Delegate campaign. In fact, Dan Kinkler (pictured above), our organizer on Dr. Pratt's race in Whytheville has served the last month as the field director for this critical, targeted campaign.
VAYD Invasions
Our invasions were designed to help our members and volunteers double their impact by helping on the statewide race and targeted local delegates races. Our local invasions included: the Gwen Mason race, the Peggy Frank race, two invasions into the Cynthia Neff race, the Delegate Valentine race, and the Seward Anderson race.
Our (awesome!) Chapters
Our chapters are the backbone of the Virginia Young Democrats. The James Madison Young Dems led by Lauren Gilbert (pictured above), Jordan Butler and Charlie Midkiff's chapter at Radford University(pictured below with delegate candidate Peggy Frank), the Virginia Commonwealth University YDs led by Jon Ward, and Reed Shaw's Monticello High Young Democrats, amongst many other awesome chapters, made thousands of phone calls and door knocks for our statewide slate and local delegate candidates.
