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Federation to get out the vote in Kentucky (10/31)

The AFL-CIO has issued the following news release: AFL-CIO Announces Massive “Final Four” GOTV Push in Kentucky Grassroots effort focused on 350,000 union household voters (Louisville, Oct. 31) An army of AFL-CIO volunteers will take part in an unprecedented get-out-the-vote effort in the final four days of the election, aimed at mobilizing nearly 350,000 voters in support of working family candidates in Kentucky. Union voters are expected to comprise 26 percent of the vote in Kentucky and to have up to a 78 percent turnout rate, far higher than the 40 percent expected turnout rate among the general public. The “Final Four” program of worksite contacts, phone calls and front-stoop visits will kick in Saturday, Nov. 3 and run four days, through Election Day. Union members will educate voters where candidates stand on the key working family issues. “This election is about taking Kentucky in a new direction, plain and simple,” said Kentucky AFL-CIO President Bill Londrigan. “Working people care about quality healthcare and family-supporting jobs. That’s why they are enthusiastic to vote next Tuesday for working family candidates like Steve Beshear.” Union household voters currently support Beshear by a 47 point margin, according to recent polling, and are more concerned about household economic issues, healthcare, and jobs than issues like casino gambling. On Saturday, 500 volunteers will canvass in neighborhoods across Kentucky, knocking on over 7,500 doors. In the final four days, 1,100 volunteers will knock on 17,000 doors. At phone banks across the state, 2,100 people will make 72,000 calls in the final four days. The AFL-CIO 10-day bus tour of worksites in Kentucky ends Thursday, with thousands of workers hearing from volunteers on the issues of concern in this election. In the past two months, 5,000 union volunteers have spent their weekends and evenings volunteering to get out the vote among working people. Unprecedented turnout for Saturday neighborhood walks has engaged union families in this election like never before, according to volunteers. For the first time in many rural and traditionally conservative areas, voters have heard from union volunteers in the massive mobilization effort. “There’s never been a grassroots effort to mobilize working people across the state with equal intensity,” said KY AFL-CIO President Bill Londrigan. “For many union voters, this is the first time they’ve heard from volunteers. Now armed with extensive information on the candidates, they will turn out to vote on November 6 in record numbers.” As part of the “Final Four” mobilization, gubernatorial candidate Beshear, hundreds of participants, and national labor leaders will participate in a final get-out-the-vote rally and neighborhood walk in Louisville Monday, November 5. On Thursday, November 1, Beshear will join union members on the eve of the “Final Four” mobilization. ###