We've pioneered many new ways of reaching out to Portlanders in this campaign.

* With the help of 106 volunteers, I collected over a thousand $5 donations in 91 of the city's 95 neighborhoods, to qualify for Public Campaign Financing.

* In Meet-and-Greet events last fall to gather $5 contributions, in the Spring before the primary, and in the final weeks of voting, I've sat in coffee shops, stores, and eateries at published times, to be available to voters in the places you hang out, rather than asking you to come to meetings.

* Since February, I've knocked on doors in close to 50 neighborhoods, using a technique we call the "Personal Canvass". Instead of looking at data about voter registration, high-visibility streets, and high voter turnout areas, to target the "best" areas to canvass, I've knocked on doors near where my supporters live. The volunteer with me introduces me to his/her neighbors. So rather than the standard doorstep patter of stilted campaign information the resident may or may not want to hear, our script says, "Hi, I'm _____, I live down the street, you've probably seen me with my dog/truck/kids/weeds. This is my friend Amanda Fritz, she's running for City Council. I just wanted to introduce you." Then the neighbor smiles, because after all, this isn't some random canvasser they'll never see again, this is their neighbor down the street. And I hand over the literature, point out they can contact me directly if they have any questions, and we move on. With this technique, I like canvassing. I love meeting my friends' neighbors and walking in their neighborhoods. In previous campaigns when I've cold-knocked, people often weren't friendly. In this campaign, only a very few have been grumpy. And hey, I'm grumpy sometimes, too.

So now, it's the final two weeks of my 13-month campaign. And we are doing sign-waving with a new energy, intensity, and strategy. What is sign-waving, you ask? That's where people who would not normally stand on street corners holding signs, gather during morning and evening rush hours to stand with the Amanda banner and wave to motorists, transit passengers, bicyclists, and pedestrians. It's important because it reminds passersby, "Oh, right, I need to mail in my ballot". It shows my ongoing commitment to being present in all 95 neighborhoods and 35 business districts. And it tells Portlanders that Amanda Fritz is a real person with real friends and supporters, and we believe in our cause so much that we will stand on street corners in 96 degree heat, pouring rain, and freezing cold, if that's what it takes to capture the voters' attention.

Most campaigns stand at the ends of the downtown bridges. We'll be at those locations, sometimes (and yes, cyclists and walkers/runners, we'll be careful not to obstruct your route). We will also be waving at more than 30 locations, all over Portland. We have more than 60 shifts scheduled, since each 7 - 9 a.m. and 4 - 6 p.m. weekday we'll have at least two teams, at different sites. We'll be waving on Saturdays, too, near shopping areas, and at sports and school events, political rallies, etc. When I say on the Volunteer page that there will be a sign-waving scheduled near your home, I mean it.

Sign-waving is very fun, for volunteers and for me. People smile, wave, honk, give the thumbs up or victory sign. Yesterday when I was waving at SE 12th/Hawthorne, a union organizer I haven't seen for a while since she's been working so hard on other campaigns, and later a friend I haven't seen for a year, came over and gave me a hug. Your results may vary. Call the office, 503-235-2295, and sign up for a Sign-Waving shift. Join our citywide team! You can wave for a half hour if that's all the time you can spare. You can bring a chair if you need to sit. If you've been meaning to volunteer with my campaign, and just haven't been able to find the time, please call now and sign up for sign-waving.