election

Last fall, in our federal riding, MP Dawn Black was re-elected. A few months after the election, Dawn resigned to run for MLA in her local riding, because the incumbent had been diagnosed with cancer, and could not run again. At the time I felt deflated. Here we had put in all of this work to bring back a really awesome MP, then she quits. The feeling didn't last, as we all plunged into the provincial election. Provincial ridings being smaller, we campaigned for our local candidate, and watched Dawn get elected in New Westminster, to the Legislature here in BC. Reflecting now, I think that as good an MP as Dawn was, she's now an excellent MLA, a wonderful representative in Victoria, and a beacon of hope for next time - We need to see her in government again, and I believe we will.

So now we've been waiting to see, federally, if the Conservative government falls and there's a general election, or if we will need a by-election as mandated, to fill that vacant seat in the House of Commons. Looks like the Conservatives made it through without being deposed earlier this month, so a by-election is in the cards for later this fall. This our guy, Fin Donnelly. Alex and I are gearing up to support him in the election. Today, Alex will spend the afternoon doing data entry. With 2 elections in recent months, we have very good stats from canvassing, to help shape strategy through the campaign. It just needs to be feed into the computers, and Alex is very good at that. For me, I'll be out door-knocking again, starting Monday evening. Fin has visited an amazing number of households already - months before any election call. I'll help out by carrying the lists and pamphlets and offering to introduce him to people who answer their doors. I really enjoyed doing this with Shannon Watkins, for her campaign, and look forward to it again this time. Walking and knocking with a candidate is an awesome way to get to know the person who you are working to elect, and also to gauge people's responses to the issues. As a campaign worker, I will spend a lot of time listening, nodding and smiling, and growing to appreciate once again all of the work it gets to get someone elected. On the outside, it looks like a big machine, but working the campaign, it is small, painstaking, and just plain lots and lots of hours and hard work. I love it.

Watch for an election call very soon in this big federal riding that stretches from the Fraser River in New Westminster, up and over the Moody Arm in Port Moody. Look for me knocking at your door, asking if you'd like to meet your NDP candidate, Fin Donnelly. Watch for more blog posts. It's election time.

question: have you campaigned for a candidate or a cause?

mompoet - inside the machine