In the last couple of weeks I spent a fair amount of time campaigning for an attorney general candidate in Maryland, Katie Curran O’Malley. A little back ground. She is the daughter of former Maryland AG Joe Curran and wife of former Baltimore Mayor and Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley. She was a prosecutor for ten years and a judge for 20 years. She is running against former Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, whose terrible campaign for governor 8 years ago is the reason we have had a Republican governor for the last eight years.
My purpose for writing is to share my experiences working the polls for her and how while you would think most voters have made up their minds, there is still good work to be done on election day, especially in down ballot races like AG.
I have worked elections since I was 15 years old, so for a long time. I have done a lot of canvassing, but not so much poll work. My assumption is that people had usually made up their minds before coming to vote. My experience in this election made me understand that voting day work at the polls can be effective, too.
You don’t get much time with voters at the polls and many don’t want to talk to you, but over the course of my days at the polls, I was able to steer some voters to my candidate because they were undecided for the AG’s race. You need to have your pitch honed and succinct. You can also influence other people working at the polls who you strike up conversations with.
I didn’t keep a tally, but my estimate is that I could have influenced 20 votes during my time at early voting and on election day. That won’t likely win an election, but if you get people at all polls, it can have an impact.
Unfortunately, it appears that my candidate lost the election, but I know I did my part.
