The Joy of Canvassing

by: Timothy McKernan

Mon Jul 26, 2010 at 16:06:14 PM EDT

Between now and November 2nd, most of us will knock on hundreds, if not thousands of doors. It is essential that we do so. Ads, mailers, events, blogs and viral video are all important parts of political campaigning today, but we all know that the foundation of any campaign is the ground game. Nothing compares to face to face conversations with voters. Yet many candidates and volunteers are reluctant to go door to door. It's intimidating, some say. Some procrastinate, say it's a waste of time, find other ways to fill their schedule.

I'd like to share my personal experiences and hopefully inspire these reluctant door-knockers to not only tolerate and endure canvassing, but take pleasure in it.

I discovered this love in 2006, working on a voter registration drive in Southern California. I'd taken on a part time job to supplement my income from our family business. This canvass, operated in State Senate District 34 in northern Orange County, was targeted towards registering Democrats. We would give a voter registration form to anyone who requested one (as required by law), but we would help Dems fill out the form, and would file the form for them with the Secretary of State.

This district was an odd gerrymandered patchwork; it encompassed upscale areas in Garden Grove and Anaheim, Spanish-speaking old neighborhoods in Santa Ana and Fullerton, trailer parks and subsidized housing in Stanton. This district was Republican, but changing demographics gave Democrats a chance, if only enough of them would vote.

We had the recent voter lists and targeted our turf as finely as possible, but wanted to cast a wide net. Consequently, we ran into a lot of less than friendly voters in some areas. Still, it was necessary to persevere; in many households the parents would proudly inform me that they would never vote for a Democrat, then trot out their just-turned-18 son or daughter, who would quietly ask me to register them as a Democrat, or at least an undeclared voter. Some voters had been targeted by a Republican voter registration scam and needed to re-register as Democrats or undeclared voters.

This kind of work is wearying. Plodding from house to house in the cruel California sun, braving rejection, invective, even insults and threats; how could I learn to love this? I developed a technique, influenced by our talented canvass director and informed by past experiences.

1) Rejoice in the good ones. Let them make your day. This is the part that brings me back. The new voter, busting with passion to make the world a better place. The felon who did not know they were eligible to vote again. The voter who drags their kids out to get involved, will take a yard sign, and agrees to volunteer. The one who gives you a cold bottle of water and tells you to keep up the good work.

2) Leave the bad ones behind. Reset after an unpleasant experience. Forgive and forget. Remember that no matter how hostile or resistant they might have seemed, they heard your words and were changed by them. When we do good we don't always get to see the results. Anyone with teenagers knows what I'm talking about! If nothing else, resolve to balance them out with five good votes to their bad votes. Have a sense of humor! Often the negative comments we hear are truly ridiculous. Once you walk away, treat them as such. Truly hostile voters will either refuse to speak with you; they're usually "all set" or "not innerested", and the ones who try to pin you down for a tirade can be evaded with a quick "thank you for your time."

3) Give every door a chance to be a new adventure. This is interlinked with 1 and 2. If you can keep the good feeling from 1 and let go of the bad from 2, each door is a fresh start, a new conversation. I found the most powerful technique is to take that quiet moment before knocking. Take a breath, let it out. Find something beautiful to appreciate! It can be a plant, the cute plaque on the door, the shape of the house. Let this beautiful thing make you smile. Remember, this is someone's home you have come to. Whole precious, human lives are lived beyond this door. This is why you are out here, to give these lives a chance to flourish in a fair, open system. There is beauty in those lives, and if you give yourself a moment to attune to the particular beauty of this home, you are more likely to make the conversation a pleasant experience for both of you. You are at their door to connect with the voter, so connect! At some homes this can be difficult, but there is always beauty, even in squalor.  Weeds have flowers, pleasant shapes can be found in cobwebs. While that smile is still on your face (and before it becomes awkward that you are just spacing out on their porch without knocking!) ring that bell.

4) Give every voter a chance to teach you something. Give them a chance to learn something from you. Actively listen! First of all, no one likes to be preached at. Second, voters are hiring and you are applying or acting as proxy for the applicant for the job. Ask the voter what their concerns are, then weave the candidate into the conversation. Always acknowledge their concerns. If differences emerge, thank them for having an open mind. Force causes resistance, and they may always revisit and integrate what you share with them later.

5) Keep the end goal in mind, and let your team support you. Canvassing is not sales! This is an incremental effort, like water washing at stone. Sometimes you will reach an enthusiastic voter who offers to volunteer, put up signs, etc. These folks are gold, but the only thing that elects candidates are votes. Thousands of them. Wash at the stone, inform the voter and gather information, than move on. The most important thing about knocking doors is to keep knocking doors! Don't get caught up in a debate or a love fest. Finally, come together with your team before and after whenever you can. Share the good experiences and the bad. Laugh at the rabid responses from hostile folks, and share the joys of supportive voters.

I have seen many people of all ages grow to enjoy canvassing once they get the trick of it. In this off-year election, relatively low enthusiasm amongst Democratic voters and a poor economy make it vital that we exert every effort to hold hard-won ground in the national and state legislatures.  Oh, and our 2006 race in California? Our operation registered over 10,000 Democrats. The Democrat won by 1,392 votes out of 112,587 after 2 recounts. Every door counts!

So grab your walk lists and water flask, put on a hat and some sunscreen, get out there and canvass!  I hope you find my story helpful. This is my first contribution to Blue Hampshire. Comments are welcome.