Thu, Dec 04 2008
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Published September 05, 2008 10:31 pm - Democrat or Republican — both parties rely on help from volunteers By Cathy Spaulding Phoenix Staff Writer
With a green plastic visor to show her preference for state representative on her forehead, Carol Miller goes door to door handing out brochures and talking to voters. “I found out we have to have a role in determining our future,” she said. “The Legislature makes decisions, and if we don’t voice our concerns, they make decisions without our input.” Miller, who is retired from the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, is one of many volunteers campaigning for Eugene Blankenship, a Democratic candidate for State Representative, Dist. 14. Republican George Faught, the incumbent, said he also relies on an army of volunteers. Candidates and party leaders agree that volunteers keep the political machine running. They make random phone calls to strangers. They go out in the summer sun to put up signs. They sort, fold and lick stamps for thousands of campaign mail-outs. “There is nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer,” Blankenship said. “Campaigns are won by the grassroots efforts of people.” Faught said his campaign “has a great group of grassroots people.” He said members of his family do a lot of the volunteering. “We have a number of people helping with all sorts of functions,” Faught said. “A lot of our supporters will take material with them.” With a presidential race and a U.S. Senate race this year, county political leaders say they will rely on volunteers to do all sorts of things. Muskogee County Republican Chairman Jerry Huffer said, “We’ve got a lot of people stuffing envelopes or who can answer phones.” Huffer said the amount of time people spend volunteering “varies somewhat.” “Some work an hour a week; some work 10 hours a week,” he said. “They just need to tell us what times they have available.” Huffer said Muskogee County Republican Headquarters is located next to Lowe’s and across Shawnee Bypass from Muskogee High School. 
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