Volunteers key on eve of Election Day

November 1, 2010 (CHICAGO)

Individual campaigns and state parties aren't alone in making the push; interest groups are out there, too.

Proud member and Tea Party campaign worker Catherina Wojtowwicz has been working out of an Oak Lawn office since July, but says the eve of Election Day is what it's all been about.

"It's a huge day. An absolutely huge day. It is the day before the big push. It's the day we have been waiting for, quite frankly, for two years," said Wojtowwicz.

Wojtowwicz is coordinating the last minute efforts for her organization, called the Chicago Tea Patriots. Blanketing the 19th Ward is the plan Monday because Wojtowwicz believes the Southwest Side has many conservative Democrats who will be voting Republican this election.

Chicago Tea Patriot volunteers are going door-to-door and working the phones.

"We are operating this just like a Democratic ward office. We've got foot soldiers. These people have such a great spring. It is exciting to see this on the Southwest Side with conservative values," said Wojtowwicz.

On the North Side, Democratic volunteers are also canvassing neighborhoods and working the phones.

"We have over 200 staging locations throughout the state. It shows how important this race is and everybody who is getting involved. We also have 20,000 shifts that were filled out," said Jennifer Judd, Illinois Dem. Party Coordinated Campaign.

With polls that show a possible Republican surge Tuesday, Democrats know the push to end is vital.

"We're just trying to remind our Democratic voters that they need to get out and vote. Sometimes those numbers stay up like they were in '08," said Judd.

Several unions will make the push for Democrats. The Chicago Federation of Labor says on Tuesday more than 6,000 union members will make phone calls, knock on doors and hand out fliers. Organized labor is always a powerful force on Election Day. However, based on the amount of calls, the Illinois Republican Party says it has the number one get out the vote program

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