The election is over and now everyone is preparing for the inauguration. You’d think that phonebanking would be over, but it’s not. This evening, with a winter storm warning in affect, I called twenty people from a list provided to me by Jen Just to ask them if they would be willing to participate in, or help organize a National Day of Service event here in Connecticut on the weekend before the inauguration.

I’ve spent a lot of time phonebanking over the years. I’ve done those election day phonebanks, where people have been called twenty times already and hate being called again. I’ve done the early primary calls, trying to find out whom people are supporting, or perhaps to persuade them to vote for the candidate I’m supporting.

I really hate phonebanking. It is tedious. Lots of people dislike getting the phonecalls and many are rude. Yet it is an important part of the electoral process, so I do it when I can.

Typically, I phonebank from some large room set up for phonebanking with phone after phone of volunteer. There is something important about this sort of phonebanking. The people around you help keep the spirits and energy up. There is community and camaraderie. Calling from my little home office by myself would be much more dispiriting.

Yet this was different. I was calling people who were volunteers, or who had expressed some sort of interest in the National Day of Service. I’m not sure exactly how they were chosen, but they were wonderful people to speak with.

I had twenty people on my list. One had no phone number. Another phone was out of service, and the third had a full voicemail box. One person wasn’t interested, and I left messages for ten other people. The remaining people were all of varied levels of interest. Some were going down to the inauguration and weren’t sure if they could help, but they would check the website and stay in touch. Others were going to be around and would check the website, had already committed to an event, or were actively planning an event.

A big concern of mine after the election has been what will happen to all these people that works so hard to help get Obama elected? Would they stay involved? Would they find new ways to help? Based on my sampling tonight, I’m pretty upbeat.

About eight other people were also calling lists around here, and if they are having the same sort of success I had, then I’m even more upbeat. If not, perhaps this blog post will help encourage them on.

Yes We Can, gave way to Yes We Did. Now, it needs to add the next part, “and we will continue to do so”. So, if you haven’t found how you can help next, please go to the Presidential Inaugural Committee Website and find an event near you, or set up one of your own.