Proud of efforts to get the vote out
To the editor:
I was president of the College Democrats at U-Maine Farmington during the 2008 presidential election. I helped run the UMF van in 2004, and I drove it multiple times in 2008.
Mr. Charlie Webster is basing his accusations of taking “busloads” of voters to the polls on UMF. I was at Farmington five years; he must not have been there the last two presidential elections.
I rocked that van with streamers and a sign that said “Vote Van.” Nothing even remotely partisan — no signs, no stickers, nothing. It was for helping folks know they could get to the polls. It was for knowing that the common excuse “I didn’t know how to get there” was null, because there we were, ready to take them there. I didn’t wear partisan gear in the van — just blue nail polish.
We drove folks in crutches and with canes both election years, who otherwise would not have had a comfortable trek to the polls. I didn’t care who you were voting for, or what your motives were. I just cared that you wanted to vote. If you wanted bipartisan information on how to register, or on the issues and candidates, it was there.
I am truly flattered that Mr. Webster believes I drove “busloads” of people to the polls.
In 2008, the weather and morale were so great that the Vote Van had more coffee in it than people. We never had more than four or five people in the van, at any given time, and many of those people just wanted to go for a ride with their friend(s) who were voting. “Busloads”? I regret to inform you, Mr. Webster, that it was closer to 25 people at most over the course of the entire campaign season.
Kelly J. Basley
Ashland
