I have seen a lot of diaries on the upcoming Election Day. Some of them are woeful predictions of a crushing loss of the Senate. Others are ridiculously rosy predictions of upset victories and "holding serve". Still others are not so veiled beg-a-thons for candidates that need last minute money to conduct an advertising blitz.
Not enough people are focusing on the good old fashioned nuts and bolts of how to win a close election.
There is no substitute for a good "ground game".
George Washington used rum to get his voters to the polls when he was first elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses. Tammany Hall used municipal employees and ward bosses (sometimes the same person) to get its voters to the polls. You can use your compassion and your own powers of persuasion to GOTV. You can make a real difference. Don't hope that someone else will do this. You need to do it.
If you can find even one person who is not likely to vote due to health or transportation problems and get them to the polls, and ask that person to find two more people in similar straits that you can help get out to vote, you will make a bigger difference than you will ever know. Donating $30.00 to Act Blue is great, but getting real votes to the polls is worth a whole lot more.
In addition to making a difference in the election, you will also make difference in that person's life. My Grandmother voted for FDR through Bill Clinton, before she passed. I used to take her to the polls in a wheel chair. She told me that voting made her feel like she still "counted".
I'll remember the smile on her face as she came out of the voting booth for the rest of my life.
Make a difference, and help somebody's vote "count".