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Today we have a somewhat partisan column about the Republican State Convention and an excellent tip about how candidates can effectively walk a neighborhood. Our articles are sometimes opinion, sometimes objective analysis, and sometimes articles sponsored by a client or other organization.

The Earlybird is designed for Utah's local, state and federal elected leaders, but anyone interested in politics is welcome to read along. We deliver the political headline links to your in-box each morning. So spend 30 seconds scanning the headlines. Click to read the whole story. We also provide periodic campaign and communications tips and consultant insights.

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Thursday, May 13, 2004

Today's Headlines

Daily Herald
- Extra $40,000 granted for festival budget

Deseret Morning News
- Panelists vote for a delay on bases
- Demos help Rocky get convention slot
- County finance chief resigns over car use
- Lawmakers tackle road-project funding
- Agonizing over billboards
- Free parking poses questions

Salt Lake Tribune
- U. wanted a fence-mender
- Amendment to ban marriage hits opposition
- S.L. County moneyman calls it quits
- Counties association opens budget
- Utah charity sees 'nightmare' in car-donation legislation

Political Calendar

May 19: Voice for Moderation Monthly Meeting-Wednesday, May 19, 6 p.m., Foothill Anderson Library, 1135 S. 2100 East.
May 25: Green Party of Utah Roots Local Monthly Meeting-12:00 pm, Sprague Library, 1100 East, just past 2100 South, Salt Lake City. Contact: 486-2558.
May 26: WIR Annual Conference-Eccles Conference Center, Ogden.
May 26: Governor's Candidate Forum, Utah Taxpayers Association-12:00 pm, Little America Ballroom, Salt Lake City.
May 30: Iron County Tax Freedom Day Governors Forum-6:00 pm, Sharwan Smith Center Ballroom, SUU, Cedar City.
June 1: Utah Log Cabin Republicans Monthly Meeting-7:30 pm, Room N4010, Salt Lake County Building, 2001 South State Street, Salt Lake.
June 3: Progressive Democratic Caucus Meeting-6:30 pm to 8:00 pm, 455 South 300 East, Suite 102, Salt Lake City. Contact: Craig Axford (801) 918-6017.
June 4: Debate between John Huntsman Jr. and Nolan Karras, Provo/Orem Chamber of Commerce and Daily Herald, First Friday Forum lunch-noon at the Provo Marriott Hotel. Lunch reservations, 379-2555; debate questions, Michael Mower 852-6103.
June 12: Davis County Democrats No-Host Breakfast-8:30 am to 10:00 am, Joanie's Restaurant, 286 North 400 West, Kaysville. Contact: Richard Watson (801) 292-6772.
June 22: Utah Primary Election-7:00 am to 8:00 pm.
June 22: Green Party of Utah Roots Local Monthly Meeting-12:00 pm, Sprague Library, 1100 East, just past 2100 South, Salt Lake City. Contact: 486-2558.
June 24: Legislative Golf Tournament, Thanksgiving Point. 533-9777.
June 26: Republican Central Committee Meeting.
June 27: Green Party of Utah Roots Local Monthly Meeting-12:00 pm, Sprague Library, 1100 East, just past 2100 South, Salt Lake City. Contact: 486-2558.

See the entire calendar.

Reader Question

Q: So where did you guys come up with the silly Earlybird name?

A: That's easy. We stole it from the Pentagon. But please don't send the troops after us. The Pentagon every working day publishes a compilation of military-related articles extracted from dozens of news sources around the world. It's called The Current News Early Bird. It has become indispensable reading in Washington, D.C., even though it contains only reprints, allowing military leaders to quickly catch up on relevant news from numerous publications. So we decided to apply the same concept (and even a similar name) with a few new twists, in our own little Utah political news niche. Our modest goal is to provide a quick and simple information service to Utah 's elected officials and others interested in political information.

Winning the Political Game: Campaign Tip
How to Walk a Neighborhood-Productively
By LaVarr Webb

Sponsored by Xi Corporation
Utah's best source for political data solutions

Candidates in primary election contests ought to be out walking neighborhoods, knocking on doors, right now . Walking neighborhoods is cheap, easy, and helps a candidate really connect with voters. However, it is also a low-yield activity, in terms of total voter contacts made. But by using a few tricks it can actually become a high-yield activity. The key is leveraging personal contacts into multiple non-personal contacts. Obviously, walking neighborhoods has to be combined with other higher-yield activities (like direct mail) to reach your votes-needed-to-win total. (Do you know how to calculate your votes-needed-to-win? That's the subject of a future campaign tip.)

It's important to start with a good list, with correct home addresses, of active primary voters. Only about 10 percent of all citizens will likely be voting in the primary. So why visit homes of non-voters? With so little time, maximize your impact by visiting only homes of people who will vote in the primary. Better yet, "household" your list so you know which homes have multiple voters. At the door, be ready to discuss why you're running, issues of importance to the neighborhood, and be sure to ask if they have questions or advice. Leave behind a nice brochure. And ask for their vote. Tell them you need their support and ask for their vote .

Here's how to really leverage walking neighborhoods: A day or two before you hit a neighborhood, drop or mail a letter to the active primary voters in that neighborhood, letting them know you'll be on their street on a specified date. Tell them you look forward to meeting them and mention a couple of issues important to you and them. After you walk the neighborhood, send another letter to the same group telling them you were in their neighborhood, mention some names of people you met, mention some issues you heard about, and ask for their vote . Even though you probably only actually met a relatively few people in your evening of walking, by sending the letters you will have touched, twice, every active voter in the area and they will feel you know them and their issues and will appreciate your effort to visit their neighborhood. That is personal campaigning at its best, leveraged to impact more voters, and it really works.

On a larger scale, even congressional and gubernatorial candidates can do some walking and leverage it effectively, particularly in rural Utah . In 1992, when I ran Mike Leavitt's first gubernatorial campaign, we would send him to rural towns and have him walk a few neighborhoods. We would arrange an interview in advance with the local radio station, and Leavitt would talk to the disc jockey or radio personality while he was walking, using one of those first-generation "brick" cell phones. Leavitt would say, "I'm here on the corner of Main and 1 st South. Just met with so-and-so (the local barber or hardware store owner), and he told me you really need some water developed around here (or whatever the local issues are). I'm going to meet with Mayor so-and-so and your county commissioners in a little while and we're going to get some things fixed." The radio stations would play the interview several times that day, leveraging a one-hour stop in a rural town into a major event, leaving everyone in the county feeling Leavitt knew them, their issues, and cared about them.

The Earlybird is a service of Utah Policy.com

Publisher: LaVarr Webb
Editor: Bart Barker
News and Calendar Manager: Golden Webb
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