WESTERVILLE, Ohio – During an Obama campaign stop, first lady Michelle Obama told Ohioan supporters of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden that “it only takes one vote” during a Tuesday speech.

Michelle Obama, speaking at Westerville Central High School to a crowd of about 2,000, announced the Saturday launch of the “It Takes One” campaign, a nationwide grassroots initiative which will attempt to swell the number of registered voters that support her husband and incumbent US president.

“You know you can count on President Barack Obama,” Michelle Obama said, “but he cannot do it alone … In the end, it could all come down to those last few thousand votes. That one new voter you register in your precinct, that one new voter you help bring to the polls on November the sixth, that could be the one that makes the difference.

“I want you thinking like that.”

The “It Takes One” campaign is aimed at registered voters that support Barack Obama and encourages them to push friends, relatives and neighbors to vote.

Shirley Walker Freeman, 61, of Columbus, is a neighborhood coordinator for the Obama campaign in the southeastern part of the city and said she was excited by Michelle Obama’s message and the turnout for Tuesday’s speech.

“People in my neighborhood are mostly Democrats, and have been encouraging each other to vote already,” Franklin said.

Franklin said she expected some of those same neighbors made the approximately half-hour drive to see Michelle Obama speak.

Michelle Obama, speaking on issues that have been discussed throughout the campaign season, including health care and pro-choice initiatives, said Barack Obama is fighting for basic American values.

“Elections are always about hope – always,” Michelle Obama said. “They’re about the world we want to leave for future generations … When it comes to standing up for the middle class so our kids can go to college and a piece of dignity, you know what my husband’s going to do.”

The campaign for Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney did not immediately respond to The Lantern‘s Tuesday afternoon request for comment.

Romney’s campaign website, mittromney.com, does contain information about similar grassroots efforts, encouraging visitors that “You Can Make a Difference.”