Your first precinct walk?

[More Than A Feeling]

I've been made a temporary precinct captain, and a candidate for county board has offered to walk my precinct with me. However, he has been very unavailable. The next township party meeting is in 3 days, and I hate it that since the last meeting and this one, I haven't really done anything.

I am hesitant to do a precinct walk by myself (my first one ever), then come around again very soon after that, and without having anyone with experience to advise me.

What was your first precinct walk like? Did you have anyone with you? What did you say? Any advice anyone can offer would be helpful.

[nascar55]

1. you really

need to have anther person with you, The candidate are someone from his staff. BTW my first walk was Cold and snow.

[alfredo]

2. the local party should offer training for this activity.

What exactly will you be doing on your precinct walk? Maybe we can give some pointers.


If I forget: take water with you and drink before you get thirsty.

[nascar55]

3. and a

granola bar or 2.......yes lots of water in the heat

[alfredo]

4. yeah, don't want to bonk.

[sybylla]

5. Except precinct level activism is unknown in some states

Mine, for example. And my local county party as well as any nearby county party know nothing about it nor how to train anyone to do it. That may change by the end of the year. We have several people in the county who have gone through Wellstone training and another who comes from a state with a huge political machine all the way down to precinct captains. But the county party doesn't offer training of any kind.

So along with the OP, I would like to hear some advice as well.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

11. Checklist for a Precinct Walk

A Buddy
A Map
A Voting List
Bottled Water
Granola Bar (good post below)
Comfortable Shoes
Cell Phone
A Good 30-Second Spiel

A veteran precinct walker and former state legislator said that he never gives himself an excuse to go back to his car, much less back to the house, when he's out walking. If you do that, he says, there's just too much temptation to "knock off early."

He also carries a bad of Post-It Notes with him to leave a short message "Sorry I Missed You" at the door of Democratic voters who weren't home at the time. He then follows up with a quick phone call that night.

[NMDemDist2]

6. never go alone. Do you have your precinct list? you can get if from

your local party who gets them from the County Recorder.

If you are just trying to get a feel for your neighborhood, you can do a "voter survey" and just ask folks what is the most important issue to them in upcoming election. give them 4-6 choices and see what you get.

be sure to have materials with you to help them keep in contact with you. I set up a special email address (from one of the 10 my ISP provided me) for party stuff. Ask folks if they want email updates or give them your email. also if there is a local candidate you are trying to help, have their materials too.

or do a "partisan walk". Ask the folks who are already Democrats (as listed on your precinct list) if they'd care to help you (get more volunteers for your precinct) and see what kind of time they have available and what they'd be interested in doing.

or you can do a registration walk. check your precinct list for addresses where there is no (or only one) voter listed and then see if you can get some new people to register

NEVER leave anything in mailboxes EVER! it's illegal and not worth the possible problems, but a rubberband will hold most anything on a doorknob

you don't need a "party" person to go with you, just take your kid or a pal along. safety is the issue always go in teams for your safety!

always have water, voter registration cards and pens with you. you'll need them all

in 2004, I had a Kerry bumpersticker on the back of my clipboard and I always dress in REALLY patriotic clothes LOL

good luck and let us know how it goes

[wildeyed]

7. You rock, AZ.

Love the red, white and blue outfit. Bet no one says no to you!

A note on walks. I haven't done that many, but for expediency, sometimes I walk one side of the street while my partner walks the other. We can maintain visual contact, but get twice as many houses done. Don't know if this is really a safe idea or not, but I felt comfortable doing it. Also, one of my dogs (he is a big D democrat) walks with me if I go alone, but only in my own neighborhood, where I feel very comfortable and know most people anyway. But he would kick ass if someone messed with me.

[NMDemDist2]

8. that works too (splitting the street) and of course in my own immediate

neighborhood I often go alone

if bringing a dog, make sure they are well trained, not everyone is a dog lover LOL

and I do the stars and stripes and red white & blue so no one thinks I'm a religious proselytizer :evilgrin:

[Pryderi]

9. "Rules of the Road"--Excerpted from DFALink.com Night School

www.dfalink.com/nightschool

1. Dress appropriately. Wear comfortable shoes. Bring a bag & water.
2. Be a brief speaker & a good listener. (Use the Five “Cs”)
3. Be friendly. You are speaking to your neighbor.
4. Learn the message. Practice the Script. Use the script. Repeat, repeat, repeat.
5. Find out what issues are most important to the voters; share your campaign’s
vision
6. If you can’t answer a question, admit it & get information back to them. Be
responsive!
7. Never argue. Trying to convince someone you are right & they are wrong
won’t gain support.
8. Be polite. Thank them for their time.
9. Be aware of your surroundings. Safety first, always.
10. Never put literature in the mailbox – only the door.
11. Never go into a house.
12. Spend time on people who are open to your campaign.


Guidelines for Canvassing
Canvass Techniques
Tips for “Rock Star” Canvassing
Actions speak louder than scripts
– Greet with a smile, end with a smile
– Eyes on the voter. Not on your clipboard, not at your feet, not at your script
“Open” Communication: How to get them to open the door
– Don’t stand in the way of the door. Step back and allow room for the door to open.
– Hand them literature
-Bonus points:
– Bring doggie treats for furry friends (ask first)
– Personal follow-up. When returning to the same door, follow-up on unanswered
questions.
– Run out of something? Ask! Water, pens, etc…; opens the communication window

[alfredo]

10. thanks for posting the nite school link.

About gates. If the gate is closed, close it when you leave. Be sure to rattle it before opening. If there is a dog, he will make his presence known. Better to find out there is a dog while you are outside the gate.

If there is an aggressive dog in the house, use your foot or hand to keep the dog from opening the door. Some dogs know how to open the screen door. Be alert. Dogs do not like having their head crushed between the door and the door frame. They will back out of the situation.