The first rule of running a successful political campaign is "Get your voters to the polls on election day," but what if the voters do not know when election day is?

A Suffolk University poll this week found that only 7 percent of Massachusetts voters surveyed know the special primary election for U.S. Senate will be held Dec. 8. A majority did not even know the month of the special primary.

That is a scary thought, considering the millions of dollars in television advertising the candidates have done. It must be downright frightening to the campaigns knowing their candidate could lose because supporters did not know when to vote. There is still time to educate the voters, but not much. The primary is just more than three weeks away.

The poll unveiled a number of other odd - some might say scary - findings. For instance, a majority of voters disapprove of the job Gov. Deval Patrick is doing, but expect him to be re-elected.

With Treasurer Tim Cahill running as an independent, Patrick would win a three-way race with only 38 percent of the vote, according to the poll. Charlie Baker, who the state Republican Party sees as its savior, would get only 15 percent in the three-way struggle.

Baker is the chosen one among party leaders, but he is trailing Cristy Mihos 33-30 percent in the poll, even though Mihos is a pirarra among those same party leaders. Back in the Senate race, state Sen. Scott Brown, R-Wrentham, is still struggling to get known, even among his small party.

Most voters do not know him and 47 percent of Republican primary voters are undecided on whether to vote for him. Still, he leads perennial candidate Jack E. Robinson 45-7 percent among Republican primary voters.

The poll found some baffling, contradictory feelings among voters. The voters are overwhelmingly unhappy with the direction of the state, but a majority plan to vote to re-elect their state legislator.

Those surveyed also favor a constitutional amendment to make health care a right, but also believe the state cannot afford universal health care.

Looking at replacements

There is talk among local political circles that if Brown wins his race for U.S. Senate or otherwise decides not to run for re-election, state Rep. Richard Ross could run for his seat in the upper chamber.

Stanley Nacewicz, an assessor in both Plainville and Attleboro, might then run for Ross's representative seat.

Bringing in the money

For a candidate whose only previous elective experience was as a Swampscott selectman, Baker is having remarkable success at fundraising. It was reported that he raised $500,000 in October and now has taken in more than $1 million total. And the election is still a year away. His campaign says more than 3,500 people have donated to Baker.

So random

U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano, a candidate for Senate, used a unique campaign tactic the other night. his campaign called voters at random and asked if they wanted to join a telephone town meeting. The voters could listen in or ask questions on any issue.

JIM HAND covers politics for The Sun Chronicle. His commentaries appear in this space on Saturdays. Contact him at 508-236-0399 or at jhand@thesunchronicle.com.