It’s door knocking time — a good time for a reprise (updated) of my diary on tips for door knocking. Here u go.
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Many people would rather jump in a very cold lake than knock on the doors of strangers to Get Out The Vote. No amount of telling them they are talking to Democrats will persuade them. They have visions of angry people berating them for disturbing their weekends, and who needs the aggravation?
My experience is the opposite. … Most people aren’t home anyway, and the ones I talk to are mostly very polite. And often very grateful for what I are doing.
Even if no one is home, it matters. It REALLY matters. We learned in a recent volunteer briefing briefing that the campaign sees an immediate 30% increase in returned ballots when literature is left at doors and a 45% increase in voting among people we talked to. That is Huge.
If you want to give this a try but are freaked out by visions of people chasing you with pitchforks, here are my top ten tips for relieving anxiety and having a good time. I would love to hear other people’s experience too.
Remember: You have 1 focus: Get DEMOCRATS to VOTE. If someone just doesn’t want to vote, move on.
Tip #1: If you haven’t done this before or still have worries about doing it, do it with a partner. Two brains are definitely better than one until you start feeling like you can do it on your own. You can learn a lot from each other too.
Tip #2: Most people aren’t home. Knowing this helps calm your fight or flight fears and increases your numbers! Leaving campaign flyers at the door still helps. A LOT.
Tip # 3: Don’t worry so much. You are talking to Democrats. Occasionally someone has moved and you catch a MAGA, but even they tend to be polite, and I have been canvassing in some pretty red areas.
Tip #4: When people look harassed or pissed, I immediately thank them for coming to the door to talk to me, a practice I learned from my Very Smart daughter. It disarms their major objection — that they are super-busy, which we all are — and they tend to listen. My schpiel is short and I let them know that right off the bat.
Tip #5: It’s just me, but if there is something that catches my eye, I tell them. I admired a beautiful spruce tree in someone’s yard. I told a guy with a guitar that musicians make the world go round. I admired the view from someone’s house. It makes me relax and have an actual conversation. It’s all about creating a genuine connection with them, however brief.
Tip #6: I NEVER ask people if they are voting for Kamala. Most people consider that very personal information and gets you off on the wrong foot. Instead, I tell them my name, that I am volunteering my Saturday to knock on doors to encourage people to vote for Kamala and/or whoever else you are canvassing for.
If you are canvassing for a Down ballot candidate, I remind them who that person is — let’s say a gal who’s a doctor— with a one sentence schpiel about who they are (nurse, doctor, military, teacher etc) and why I am personally so impressed with her that I have given up my Saturday to pound the pavement for them. People who already know about her will usually give their opinion. If not, I give a very brief testimonial of why I personally think she is so admirable. She could make millions in private practice but believes that being a force for good in the community is more important. Your personal testimonial is very powerful.
Tip #7: I ask if they think they could support such a person. A lot of people volunteer how they feel anyway. If they are iffy I ask if they would consider supporting the candidate. I offer them a flyer which everyone takes. By then they either like your candidate or are interested.
Tip #8: If they are reluctant to vote, which you can usually tell, I tell them that their vote is their voice. And I guarantee that if they don’t use their voice, someone else with a very loud voice is going to let them know what they think, and you may not like what you hear. People really get that.
Tip #9: Assuming they are good Dems, I tell them we need to carry their precinct by 10 points to have a shot, and we are short. This upsets them. I ask if they want to do what I do, which no one does, so I give them a job — get 1 other good Dem to vote. People like to have a job.
Tip #10: I ask if they need a list of nearby drop box locations, which I always carry. This opens up the conversation of how they plan to vote. Which is great, because then I ask them if X location is the closest, and that puts in their minds where they are going to vote.
Have fun! Be proud of yourself. You are doing the MOST important thing we can do right now. Call, text, knock on doors — our work will make the all the difference.
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Shameless Plug! Why did I flip from being a radical right winger to stubborn progressive? Check out my son (and my) new YouTube series, Talking Politics With Mom. No link — Master Google will find it quickly if you are interested. Frankly, it’s awesome.