Canvassing Journal Virginia 2019 - why we love talking to voters
CANVASSING JOURNAL – 2019 – VIRGINIA from members of Swing Left 31st St in Washington DC
LAURIE WELCH
On Saturday November 2nd I was canvassing for Sheila Bynum Coleman. I saw a woman outside washing her bicycle and quickly checked to see if she was on my canvas list; she was. I asked her if she was planning to vote, and she said she had just recently moved to the house and wasn't tuned in to the election. She then asked me "What's your story? Why are you here?" I told her I was from Maryland and was canvassing in Virginia to get better gun safety legislation, since many of the episodes of gun violence in DC and Maryland use guns bought in Virginia. It turns out that she is a nurse who works for the organ transplant program at Virginia Commonwealth University, and has contact with families of young men who have been shot and from whom she hopes to get an organ donation. We continued with the conversation about the need for gun safety and also about attention to underserved communities in Virginia. She told me that my story meant so much more to her then hearing about the candidate, and that she was planning to vote for the Democrats on the 5th.
SUSAN WEINMANN
I was out in Winchester this weekend canvassing for Ronnie Ross for State Senate. One older gentleman said to me, "I'm glad the Democrats have finally woken up and are out here canvassing. I've lived in this house for a long time, and it's only been in the last couple of years that any Democrats have come around."
JON MEDALIA
Several of us (Barbara Woodall, Alex Acosta, Valerie Buyse, and I) went to Stafford to canvass for Josh Cole. We were impressed by how well the campaign is organized, and by the flood of volunteers. So many volunteers came to the Fredericksburg office that there were no turfs left, so they sent us to Stafford, where we were quite astonished to see a large group of volunteers from Columbia University, all the way from NYC. (We heard that there were 70 volunteers from Columbia.) So every election, even at the bottom rung of state officeholders (state delegates), is nationalized. Our canvassing went well; we met with quite a few voters who were supporting Josh. We also had the good fortune of being at the Fredericksburg office when Josh came in; it was a pleasure to meet him.
JULIE GREENBERG
While canvassing in Chester, VA for Lindsey Dougherty and Amanda Pohl, I knocked on the door of a woman whose teenaged daughter answered and said her mom was unavailable. I asked her if she could give her mom the campaign lit...she asked if Amanda Pohl was the "lady against guns." I said "yes," and that she was running for sensible gun safety laws against a state senator who actually carried a gun. I told her Lindsey Dougherty was for the same sensible laws. She told me that she was glad to get the lit because she had been at Parkland High School and really cared about gun safety! No surprise there! Absolutely blew me away with how much more attention she was giving to the election than most voters. She said she will be able to vote in 2020 and tells all her friends who can vote already that they have to vote in every election. Gives me hope that the elusive youth vote may finally stop being so elusive!
CAROLYN MURPHY AND DEBRA NACKMAN
We knocked on 41 doors (for Josh Cole in Stafford County) and gave out both of our yard signs. Our best experience was with the next door neighbor of Josh’s opponent, Milde (!!) The voter had a long chat with Carolyn about how bad Milde was and requested a sign to counter the big Milde sign next door. We happily provided one! Milde’s other neighbor whom we talked to also had only negative things to say about him. Most of the people we talked with were very positive about the Democratic candidates and were going to vote. With those folks there was a clear sentiment that change cannot come soon enough, especially on the national level!
MARY PENCE
With my training as a Family Law attorney, I am always an interested observer of “the marital dynamic.” In my canvassing, I have many times run into the situation where my “turf” sheet lists a woman’s name for the voter I am to contact, but a man opens the door to me. It appears that I have encountered one of the “mixed marriages” where the wife is a Dem and the Husband is Republican. Here are two very different experiences I have had when this situation arises:
#1: Me: “Is Susan Smith at home?”
Husband: “Who are you and how do you know my wife’s name?” [fairly hostile tone and body language]
Me: “My name is Mary Pence, and I am a canvasser for [candidate’s name.][holding out literature which reflects the candidate is a Dem.] Is Susan Smith at home?”
Husband: “How do you have my wife’s name? I demand that you remove my wife’s name from that list. [refuses literature, slams the door]
#2. Me: “Is Susan Smith at home?”
Husband: “Yes, she’s cleaning the garage. Come right through here and I’ll show you the way.”
Lovely conversation with wife in the garage: “Yes, I’ll be voting for her. My husband’s a Republican, but he knew I’d divorce him if he voted for Trump so he left that slot on the ballot blank. I may be able to get him to vote for your gal.”
(I’m guessing much happier marriage! –Lisa H..)
AARON HAMBURGER
This morning while canvassing for Dan Helmer, I met a very kind older gentleman with a white beard and very clear blue eyes who was mowing his lawn. He stopped and thanked me for the work I was doing and said, "So many people are trying to divide us up. But things are going to change. We're going to be okay." He stared right at me and said, "We're better than this. I know we are." As we shook hands, I felt a sense of hope.
SHARON LiNDAHL
Aware that Virginia Beach is known to be a "red" area, I expected to encounter hostility. We did meet two vociferous and uninformed (though entertaining!) Republicans, but the vast majority were pleased to see us and even thanked us for our efforts. The information we got, while not perfect, was quite accurate. They only send canvassers to known Democrats, so conflict is kept to nearly zero. Just a few are misidentified as Democrats.
The accommodations were charming. A little house and a sweet cottage that made for relaxing evenings and mornings. We met lovely people and had breakfast together one day and brunch the next.
And we knocked on A LOT of doors. Fingers crossed and a strong GOTV!
DALE KAUFMAN
My fav story from today's canvassing in Stafford (Josh Cole): The 70-something Stafford white guy voter with only several, yellow teeth who, when I started telling him about Josh Cole, interrupted me to ask one important question: "Is he a Democrat or Republican?" When I responded, "Democrat," he said -"Then I'm voting for him. After this president, Democrats have my vote.”
JAMES SHELTON
I was canvassing in a predominantly African America townhouse/apartment neighborhood in Virginia Beach in early Fall. There were a fair number of residents out and about. I was the only white person anywhere in sight. People were very cordial, perhaps partly because of the Obama 08, hat I was wearing.
I spoke with a large group of mostly women gathered outside on the grass and sidewalk, some in lawn chairs. I approached them and asked if they were planning to vote in November. One replied, “Yes, honey, we vote.” A number of others nodded their heads. I then made my usual approach about Trump and how we needed to come together to do something about him and Virginia was a good place to start. They heartily agreed.
I then pointed out that they obviously knew everyone in the conclave and could they reach out to the others to make sure they voted? A number of them agreed. But one said, “OK but I am not going to go door-to-door. I’ve been on my feet all day.” Another one asked for copies of the candidate literature so she could share it with friends at work. I left feeling confirmed that very often the most productive canvassing is reaching out to people not on the canvassing list.
CLARE DONAHER
Saturday was my first experience in canvassing with 31st Street Swing Left, and it was great. Everything was seamless, i.e,
· the communications from Julie Greenberg were timely and thorough,
· the campaign staff for Joshua Cole, who is running for a seat in the VA House of Delegates, was prepared for our group and provided us with all needed materials,
· the Fredericksburg residents I met were polite and optimistic about Josh Cole's victory on November 5 (he lost by 73 votes in 2017).
I plan to be an active member of 31st Street Swing Left in 2020!
LISA HERRICK
Knocking doors in Frederick for Josh Cole in September: I was in a beautiful historic neighborhood of impeccable Victorian homes, and virtually every door was answered by someone who already knew Josh and “just loved him”. I knocked (with trepidation) on one door at a Southern style HUGE mansion with columns behind a high, gated, iron fence, while a tour bus full of tourists sat on the street broadcasting information about the Confederate history of that house. A young, disheveled guy in a flannel shirt and ripped jeans answered the door holding back a drooling golden retriever. Before I finished my introduction he interrupted and said, “Oh yeah – we’re having a fundraiser here for Josh next week!”
Woo hoo!
On another street on another day canvassing for Lindsey Dougherty, I spoke to an elderly woman in a blue house who whispered to me that she was a Lindsey supporter but warned me that all her neighbors were Republican. Two doors down was a young woman who agreed to take a yard sign and happily said, “Oh sure – I’ll take a sign – we’re all Democrats here!” I told her to reach out to the elderly woman in the blue house!
Of note – throughout the summer and fall, several voters, African-American, white, elderly, young, mentioned that they hated Trump.
JEFF ROSENBERG
I went back to canvass for Joshua Cole. This time, I was in the northern part of the district. And it was a different world from my first trip both in terms of the housing and the diversity of folks living therein. Housing wise, this was definitely a bedroom community in which residents work at Quantico or commute to the DC Metro Area. The homes were single-family, detached though barely. They were placed within a few feet each other with post stamp backyards.
One fellow, Monty, was doing some serious grilling of chicken wings just outside the garage in his driveway. The diversity was quite a contrast to my last visit. Many more folks of color from all around — Africa, India… There was still a sense of almost shyness for some to answer the door. Three individuals answered me through a second- or third-story window.
The very first door was answered by a fellow who can vote here and who grew up(?), lived in western Europe for several years. He started with a rant about how Americans think “socialism” is a bad thing…I explained that actually this race really gave him the opportunity to choose between a “conservative Republican” (that’s how Cole’s opponent describes himself) and a progressive Democratic candidate who espouses much of what he values. Wonder of wonder — his tone softened, and he apologized for his tone. He said he picked up on my sincerity and would learn more and seriously think about voting. Huzzah!
Another woman, who grew up in the area, was fired up, ready to volunteer… I saw her at just the right time as it was just after a lengthy rain delay and my own enthusiasm was a bit ‘dampened’ (sorry) by the rain and the number of no answers or answers with that “I’m really too busy for this right now — I’m putting up with you.” vibe. She made a difference down the home stretch. A young woman, maybe thirty, was so moved by my canvassing and expressed her gratitude so beautifully. And she wasn’t someone who was on the list!
The common denominator from last time was the number of people who were not familiar with Joshua Cole but do tend to vote Democratic. This is actually hopeful to me as, perhaps, now they will know who he is and may indeed have a reason to go out and vote this November.
ALSO FROM JEFF ROSENBERG FROM A DIFFERENT OUTING
And there was the eldest sister of three who was of voting age though she looked 13 years old who was excited to talk with us about the election and her two little sisters witnessed this. There was a forty-something federal worker who was ‘fired up’ and, as we talked, committed to at least making sure a handful of her friends knew about the election and would get out to vote. An older gentleman who appreciated the importance of the election and would get his sons out to vote. And finally a woman — who did talk our ears off — who gave us an invitation to a pony/horse ride party being offered to the community by her family. The invitation was dutifully brought back to Joshua’s campaign headquarters. Ride on!
