For the first time in my life, I've actually tried to be more involved in campaigning this year. Last week, during the ActBlue fundraiser, I committed to knocking on 125 doors for Darcy Burner.
I started tonight. My partner canceled at the last minute so, armed with some maps, a flashlight, and a clipboard, I made my way out among the trick-or-treaters to bang on a few doors.
For those of you who've never done it, it's a strange experience. I was given a precinct to walk not too far from where I live, with sheets upon sheets of addresses and "likely voter responses" (i.e. whether or not I could expect to have the door slammed in my face).
The problems were manifest. First, it's Halloween night, and it took me an hour to drive from campaign headquarters back to my area just to get started (rush hour's a BITCH tonight). Second, the area I was assigned (by my request) is one of the more upscale areas of the Eastside. I looked very out of place all alone with a clipboard and my ten year old car, driving around looking for one address on a street filled with large, expensive houses.
And lastly, that last point. GOTV apparently means I'm looking for likely or registered voters. I envisioned myself knocking on EVERY door, trying to cajole the undecideds, congratulating the Dems, and politely thanking the wingnuts for their time. Instead I spent two hours driving around a six-block area (I'll explain why I drove below), looking for one house in five.
The area that I was in, in addition to being relatively ritzy, also lacks streetlights, sidewalks, and clearly numbered addresses. And here in Western Washington, the streets are never straight and the numbers rarely make sense. Which is why I was driving more than I'd have liked.
So I'm going back out tomorrow. I reached a whopping SIX voters tonight. Two dedicated Dems, two unwavering wingnuts, and two undecideds who were obviously leaning toward Darcy (and I give one HELL of a pro-Darcy spiel). The rest I couldn't find, weren't home, or whatever.
Here are some doorbelling tips from a first-timer:
1. Go in the daylight. Even with a flashlight I felt very alone and vulnerable, not to mention unproductive.
2. Try to take someone with you. Don't go alone. It's lonely and easy to get discouraged.
3. Take the time to read and reread the instructions you're given. I spent too much time fumbling in the dark trying to figure out the "codes" I was supposed to assign for each home I visited.
I'm going back out tomorrow. Earlier. I can get out of the house at 4pm after I finish work, and that'll give me an hour and a half of daylight. And damn it, I AM going to knock on every door. I'll write down the results for the ones the campaign wants, but THIS IS IT! It's not a time to be THAT picky.
I will knock on those 125 doors. It may just take longer than I'd planned.
P.S. My husband, Old Abe says he's not going to compete with all the freaking Kerry diaries and comments out there, but wanted me to quote him as saying "I can't compete with 589 comments on Kerry's rebuttal, but it's about FUCKING TIME!
UPDATE: Chris at Darcy's Bellevue office said they are in need of bottled water and soda (pop to us Northwesterners), preferably diet. I'll drop some off this week, but if anyone is in the area please call them and ask what they need. Their number is 425-454-0402.