I got the Phonebanking Blues. And other campaign nuts and bolts.

Robin's campaign for Northern Humboldt Union High School Board has been phone banking for awhile now. Tonight I had a list for Trinidad absentee voters. It was kind of weird. Lots of numbers the phone just rang and rang with no answer. Most of the time you will have a recording, fax machine or busy signal. And some of the people who did answer were not interested in talking. Most of the time I have more positive than bad. Today was not that great. I did calls for Bayside last week and the calls were positive. For anybody out there who have done phonebanking on a political campaign or a charity calling, you know what a thankless job this can be. But it needs to be done to get the message out.

What do you people out there feel would be a good starting lead in for a phone call for either a candidate or a charity? When we are calling we start with, "Hello my name is ____ and I am a volunteer for the Robin for Northern Humboldt Union High School Board. Have you heard of Robin?" The majority of people are positive. Some are not. "How did you get my phone number?" When you try to explain it is common knowledge through their voter registration, the conversation has usually gone south by then.

Robin's signs have been popping up around Northern Humboldt. We ordered them from "big daddy's" out of Florida. They are a union shop that does great work quickly. UNION SIGNS
Robin has been endorsed by most local labor organizations. Of course our household is staunch union advocates with Robin's father being a union mill worker, and her grandfather a past business representative for the union. We were raised and have benefited from being organized.

Robin has been taken out of her comfort zone in this campaign. For those of you who know her, she is a humble quite type who just so happens to be married to an extrovert. Phonebanking and Meet and Greets are really hard for her. She has had eyes on this position for years and has been waiting for the right time when incumbents were stepping down. She has nothing against the other candidates and did not want to campaign against anyone. But here we are.

I have known Dan Collen for years and I think he is a good guy. I also know Ross Miller. I have played Basketball against him for years and he also a good guy whom I have never had problems with. He is a local business person with a good Arcata Tiger athletic background. I have not met Greg Young.

I am hoping that the voters of Northern Humboldt will look at the information in their sample ballots and make an educated decision on their choice in this race. Robin has been a past school board member and president for 5 years and has worked in administration for a school district for years. I think her knowledge sets her apart from the other candidates. But I am prejudice of course. All this for a volunteer trustee position. Politics in Humboldt County are sure hard core nowadays.