The Power of a Knock: My Pick the Dem Ballot Canvassing Experience
- Alyssa Crawford
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
Walking her own neighborhood, a Westfield canvasser finds that getting people to the polls often comes down to something simple: a reminder, a plan, and a quick conversation at the door.
Hello, my name is Alyssa, and I’m a Get Out the Vote (GOTV) canvasser in Westfield. If you’ve ever considered canvassing, GOTV is an excellent place to start. Here’s why:
Voter Turnout
I believe voter turnout really matters. Sure, I want people to volunteer, come to events, and stay involved, but at the end of the day, if someone only does one thing, I want them to vote. That is what Get Out the Vote (GOTV) is all about.
A lot of people say they will vote, but then do not.
Why?
There are all kinds of reasons, but a big one is just not having the information. I talked to a woman recently who said, “Oh I will vote for sure. When is the election?”
Other folks plan to vote on Election Day, but do not always think about what might get in the way.
That is why having a plan helps.
When someone tells me they are going to vote but do not really have a plan, I will say something like, “I am planning to vote early this week when voting opens in Westfield. That way if something comes up, I still have time.”
Most of the time, they say, “That is a good idea.”
The info we hand out, like when and where to vote, goes a long way. Sometimes that is all people need to follow through.
Dem Friendly Doors
I’ve done canvassing for both campaigns and GOTV. GOTV doors tend to be extra friendly. The lists are put together to focus on strong democrats. The idea is simple. If someone has a strong democratic voting record in the primaries, they are likely to still support Democrats. We just need to help get them to the polls.
I’ve had a few negative responses, but they are usually quick things like “not interested” before I even get a word out, or “I’m busy.”
However, I’ve had a lot more positive responses. People saying “thanks for doing this” or just being genuinely kind at the door.
I’ve met neighbors who have been involved before, like an older couple who told me they phone banked and canvassed for Barack Obama. I had one woman tell me she is usually too busy with her kids to volunteer, but her mom is active with the Democrats and I should go talk to her.
GOTV is always a good reminder of how many strong Democrats are out there.
It is an excuse to get outside (and stop the doomscrolling)
The other day I was sitting at my desk, looking out at a bright blue sky, thinking I should go for a walk after work. Instead, I decided to do some GOTV, so I took a walk with a purpose.
I picked up two turfs and did them back to back, so I ended up spending more time outside than I probably would have otherwise.
The weather’s been just about perfect this year, and I’ve even spotted a couple of bird nests along the way. Which really brightened my day.
Convenience
GOTV is easy to fit into my schedule. I pick up my turfs (the map that shows the houses I'm going to) and door hangers, then head out when it works for me, as long as it’s a reasonable time to be knocking on doors.
The turfs are nice and small, so it’s easy to knock one out without it taking up an hour or two of your day.
So far, all of mine have been right in my neighborhood, so I don’t even have to drive anywhere. It also means I’m meeting neighbors who share my political views, which has been a nice bonus.
This is Your Sign
If you’ve ever thought about getting involved, this is your sign. GOTV is easy to jump into, and it makes a real impact. Grab a turf, head out for a walk, and help make sure folks show up to vote.
Track our county progress and sign-up to knock doors here:
Alyssa Crawford has been a long time volunteer with HamCo Dems and candidates in Hamilton County. Currently she is a newly appointed Precinct Committeeperson (PC) for Westfield-Washington Precinct 23, and was a dedicated volunteer with Josh Lowry's campaigns and Alexis Lowry's city council campaign in 2023.
We're all volunteers! Here join Alyssa and other HamCo Dems as we make a change at: hamcodemsin.org/volunteer
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