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Campaign Cold Calls In Hamilton County

Bernadette Jay
Eyewitness News Reporter

Jeff Green
Eyewitness News Photographer

In Hamilton County, it's clear that the election is not over until it's over. At the Hamilton County Republican office, they're making about 5,000 phone calls to registered voters across Hamilton County, just in case those voters on the other end of the line somehow forgot it's time to cast their ballots.

"We're also checking people having problems voting. We try to help them find what precinct they should be in," said Chris Lanier or the Hamilton County Republican Party. 

McCain's headquarters in Chattanooga is doing its part, dialing up another 5,000 long distance calls to voters in the battleground states of North Carolina and Virginia.

And over at the Obama headquarters across town, the place is buzzing with volunteers. Some placing calls and some waiting to drive registered voters to the polls to cast their ballots.

"It's that call you get when your wondering whether you want to got do something, and you've heard there is long lines and that call came and you say 'I guess I will do it,'" said John Bailes of the Hamilton County Democratic Party. 

Obama campaign officials estimate they'll make 30,000 phone calls today. Not only to voters in the Scenic City, but across Tennessee state lines to those crucial battle ground states too.

Acquanetta Smith is just one of those volunteers making phone calls to see if registered voters are heading to the polls.

"I just wanted to go all out for Barack Obama, and if it takes me using my own minutes to get him in office I will do so," said Smith.

As a long election cycle comes down to minutes, in Hamilton County if the McCain and Obama support reflects the ending of the presidential race it's a mad dash to the finish line.