Canvassing on the streets of Boston

I helped with my first canvassing event today. Our goal was to knock on the doors of as many “super voters” (people who have voted in multiple elections in the last two to five years) as possible, seeking to find out where support for the Mayor lies. We were assigned to the Mission Hill neighborhoods of Boston, starting at a little donut shop where we met everyone, planned our route, and set up the Minivan app on our phones, an app that allows you to track the data you gather. There were seven of us working, with 12 neighborhoods to conquer; rather than taking two smaller lists, I decided to take the largest one. Once everything was set up, we said our farewells and went on our way.

My first house was a ten-minute walk from the donut shop. I knocked on the door, but there was no response, so I left a piece of literature on the door. Over time, I began to meet many voters, with mixed responses. Every person who was supportive of Michelle Wu was so welcoming and appreciative of the time I was taking to canvass—it was lovely to see how meaningful any contribution to help Mayor Wu was to them. Personally, however, I liked it most when I encountered a non-supporter or someone who was on the fence. Some people closed their doors the second I said Michelle Wu’s name, while others tried to debate me on why Mayor Wu was right for reelection. I’m proud to say that I was able to tally on the poll two new Michelle Wu voters!

What struck me most was that almost everyone I spoke with knew or had had some kind of interaction with Mayor Wu, and that she had taken the time to meet as many of her constituents as she could. I realized from this that one of the most effective things you can do as a politician is going out and making the effort to meet your voters, making them feel wanted and special, rather than sitting back and letting your speeches lead the way.

Overall, it was a great experience, and I’m looking forward to many more canvassing events in the future!