Dear Dr. Bob,
I have some great volunteers and I am very grateful for their help. But they’re getting mixed messages from my campaign. My campaign manager says that when we’re walking door-to-door they should hit every door in an area because you waste too much time fiddling with a walking list to make a difference. The party says that’s nuts. They’re pressing me to use the walking list and just go to homes with registered voters who vote most often. Who’s right?
Walking Around
Dear Walking Around:
Seems to be a crop of “campaign managers” who should go back to high school and practice on those elections a bit more.
In this case, your party people are correct: use the walking list.
If you don’t, you really will waste volunteer time (and yours) leaving literature with people who either can’t or don’t vote. I remember one candidate who was so thrilled to be campaigning that when we sent him out to walk neighborhoods, he stopped at every home and really enjoyed the “spirited front door debates” he experienced.
He was clobbered on election day. But he probably had the best campaign experience of anyone that cycle. So, make a choice: get elected or get an earful from non-voters.
One last thing: Always wear comfortable shoes.
