(this is a final installment in a series about summer make-up field work; the first is here, the second is here and the third one here)
I have been writing about the purpose and tactics of our summer "make up" work, trying to catch up from what we lost by foregoing field until the last month of 2020. I didn't think it would take four diaries to do that.
The final reason why we are knocking on doors in this heat and humidity is because we know how to do that (canvass in heat, humidity as well as freezing cold). Throughout my lifetime in the field, I have been asked if volunteers should go out in the rain and I will always reply: no, but candidates should! Wet volunteers rarely return from canvassing in the rain with pristine data. But a wet candidate gets lots and lots of street cred, making the data (hopefully god doesn't strike me down for saying so) less important than the visibility before voters (although I wouldn't want a tablet out in the rain).
But canvassing in this kind of weather should not be done alone. This isn't the buddy system, this is the TEAM system. I repeat, in this kind of weather should not be done alone.
In Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and Texas, we cut summer turf and map out that turf with a car and driver in mind. We want a driver/supervisor to have eyes on each volunteer every 20-30 minutes or so. And when volunteers get too hot, they jump into the vehicle and join the watch on the other members of the team. We also know to cut turf in smaller segments than we would in the fall or spring. So, for example, we might send out a team of four with 10 packets instead of 4, cut to be walked together. For this example, let's say that the first packet for the team is a neighborhood with two streets, and each volunteer is given a side (odd or even) on the two. They get released at the top of the street, knock on their assigned doors
So there are repeated opportunities to cool off, and to do some paperwork in an air-conditioned vehicle. With lots of cold water, baby wipes, cooling towels and an air-conditioned vehicle, our canvassers are safe, looked-after and don't look haggard when they knock on doors. We also suggest that people bring a change of shirts and I've even have drivers that create "privacy environments" in their SUVs for changing into dryer clothes.
But I have also used this system back in the Dean campaign days up in Berlin, NH to welcome effect. Of course, there is nothing like "Hot Hands" for hot weather.
The point of these diaries was to demonstrate that there are ways to mitigate and outfox Republicans in their efforts to suppress our voters. They are all pursuing Trump's strategy (from before the pandemic) to increase their voters while trying to force Democrats into the the polling booth on election day where their right to vote could be challenged by very aggressive poll watchers who had National Change of Address data (while not necessarily being honest about who had requested CoA or even rely on the correct address) to "support" their challenges. Especially in urban environments, but focused primarily upon challenging minorities at the polls, Republicans are trying to force our voters to use provisional ballots that require coming back with supporting documentation before their votes can be counted. It is insidious and this strategy is getting used even without the new laws.
We can Do Something! Preventing these voter suppression bills from being passed or challenging them in court is not enough. We have to counter these tactics regardless. Which is why we are knocking on doors in this heat and humidity.
If you support grassroots efforts to protect the vote and our voters, especially in minority communities, please help Hope Springs from Field PAC prepare these voters for 2022:
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/voterprotection