Sunday, April 26, 2009

door to door

Yesterday, I spent the afternoon going door to door with Shannon Watkins, our riding's NDP candidate for the May 12 provincial election. Shannon is 27 years old, and has been a Port Moody City Councilor for 3 years. I have seen her at council meetings and city election all-candidates meetings, and I know her father, who is a School Trustee, but I have not met Shannon until yesterday.

I am impressed with her knowledge and compassion. I watched her engage with voters at their doors, listen to their concerns, and discuss their lives and the lives of the people in our riding and province. She is smart and mature, and eager to bring new energy and a younger generation's perspective to the legislature. This is Shannon's website.

It took me more than a week to get down to the campaign office after I received my first call from the volunteer coordinator there. I guess I must be a bit tired of elections, after so many in the past 6 months. We have one more to go, with a by-election looming in our federal riding since Dawn Black resigned as Member of Parliament to run provincially. Also, we were bombarded with phone calls as soon as the election began officially. We received at least one call each day, for a week, at home at supper time. I remembered some of the responses of people who I connected with on the phone during Dawn's campaign - faithful supporters who were weary of the constant interruptions. I thought to myself there has to be something else I can do this time to help. So I chose the door-knocking job with the candidate, which is very nice, and something different from all of the fliers and the phone calls and the emails.

I will also do some flier-dropping, and sign-waving (watch for me Monday morning while you are driving to work), and of course I'll work election day - even the phones are okay for me that day. And I know I'll sign up to help with the federal by-election campaign when it begins. After that, I'm really looking forward to at least a year without election hoopla-buzz-buzz. Let our people get to work in the House and the Legislature and City Hall, and be done with electing and electing.

question: how are you finding this election, this time?

mompoet - Just a little more than two weeks to e-day

1 comment:

Camy said...

I will be working on election day as I always do for all 3 levels of govt. I have not missed working one yet since I became a Canadian citizen. So I shall see you at the polls as always. I stress the importance of getting out there and making sure your vote counts. I tell both the girls who are eligible to vote not to waste their voice. I am pleased to hear that you are out there campaigning!