19 Secrets And Stories From People Who Volunteered For Political Campaigns In 2024
Election Day is finally here! Whether you've already voted or you're reading this in line at your polling place, it's been a long campaign season for all of us — but especially for the campaign volunteers who gave up their free time to help get out the vote.
I've been seeing stories online from campaign volunteers ranging from heartwarming and hopeful to downright weird, so I asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to share their volunteer stories, too. Here's what they had to say, plus some of my favorite tweets from volunteers sharing their voter interactions:
1."I volunteered for Harris-Walz doing phone banking. I called a person in Wisconsin who DID NOT KNOW there was an election and was NOT going to vote. I thought she was being sarcastic and joked with her, but alas, after asking a prompted question, she really admitted that she didn't know and was not going to vote."
—Nan, Houston
2.
Loveee phonebanking in California. The person who picked up the phone assumed I was their uber eats driver with their erehwon order 😭
— Daniel McGreevy (@DanielJMcGreevy) November 5, 2024
3.
I talked to an undecided girl who I had to assure that no one can see who you vote for because she was afraid of potential retaliation if she voted for Kamala.
— Julia Claire (@ohJuliatweets) November 2, 2024
4.
Today, in a red little Wisconsin town, I canvassed with a woman who asked to remain anonymous. “My husband is a Republican, and he would object to me being here, but I had to do something.”
— Dr. Kristin For Wisconsin (@kristinforWI) October 25, 2024
5.
One of the joys of canvassing is that you meet people who fall into nobody's mental categories. Case in point: the 70yo white guy I just canvassed who told me he's undecided because they're both great candidates and both would do a great job.
— Ben Wikler (@benwikler) November 2, 2024
6."It seems at least a fifth of the information we get is not accurate. Of the people who respond to our texts, we hear all the time that we are texting the wrong people. We NEED vetted information to know we are reaching the right people, and it’s very frustrating for everyone involved. Campaigns are spending money on lists of people who are either not at that number anymore, not old enough to vote (so many 12–15-year-olds), not living in the area, or are angry because they already told us to stop/opted out."
"It’s a total waste of campaign funds and time when we are given poor information. We want to reach people who want to hear from us, and it’s so disheartening to know we have gotten sold shitty contacts."
—Carmen, San Diego
7.
I just talked to a voter in Warren, MI. He started out saying he wasn’t going to vote. Never voted before. At the end of the conversation he said he’d vote for Harris. He even asked me to put a Harris-Walz *yard sign* in his yard. I shook his hand & thanked him.We’re gonna win.
— Jackson ✨VOTE✨ (@_nihil_scio_) November 4, 2024
8.
The loveliest element of canvassing today was meeting a number of men of all ages, including a few independents, who said reproductive rights are driving their Harris-Walz vote. 💙
— Melissa Jacobs 💙 (@thefootballgirl) November 5, 2024
9.
A mom & daughter stopped us today while we were canvassing here in MI and profusely thanked us. The mom cried talking about how proud she was to vote for Kamala and what it meant for her daughter. Which -hello- then made ME cry and I can’t shake it.Women will win this for her.
— vote kamala (@votekamala) November 4, 2024
10.
Phonebanking with NC voters. Spoke to an elderly man with a deep country accent who said, "Harris? That the lady? Yeah, I'm voting for her."
— Michael Rubens (@michaelsrubens) November 5, 2024
11."The database we use to call/text people from is not updated in real-time, so sometimes we call the same people day after day. Sorry! Please don’t be mad at us if you’ve asked us to take you off our lists, as we are dealing with some crappy tech. And no, once you vote, it doesn’t magically make us stop contacting you. We can’t see who early voted. This is my last election season volunteering after doing it since 2000. I’m stopping because people are ruder than ever to us. Please just vote Harris in; I’m so tired."
—Anonymous
12.
I canvassed someone today who had a sinus infection and thought she would vote in a few days after it cleared. Now she knows it’s tomorrow or bust. She’ll be voting. That’s why we knock doors.
— Janice Weiner (@janice4iowa) November 5, 2024
13.
In Sheboygan today, a white lady sweetly told me to stay safe after I canvassed her house. She was a Trump supporter. It reminded me that there will always be goodness in our communities no matter how much fascism tries to divide. I’m going to sleep choosing to believe everything…
— Nada Elmikashfi 🍉🇸🇩🇵🇸 (@nadaelmikashfi) November 5, 2024
14.
Canvassing in PA today has never made it more clear how fucking stupid the EC is. These people are MISERABLE about all the non-stop attention, door knocking, flyers everywhere. Let them just be *merely* as miserable as the rest of us for heavens sake.
— Andy Robin (@andyrobinplays) November 2, 2024
15."I worked with a state-level election this season, doing everything from making phone calls to organizing volunteers to distributing yard signs to canvassing and knocking on doors. Door-to-door knocking has given me a wide variety of interactions. I've had people who disagree with my candidate yell at me, swear at me, try to spray me with a water hose, and I've even had a random bystander driving by honk at me and give me the slash-across-the-throat signal, which caused me to look over my shoulder for the rest of the doors in the neighborhood."
"I have also had some of the most positive and uplifting experiences as well. A good portion of those who I have talked to have been kind and engaged with what I have to say about my candidate and the issues he values. I've had people give me hugs and heartfelt thank you's for doing the work.
The one thing that should be obvious, but wasn't for me, about canvassing is how much walking I have done over the past three months, nearly a marathon!"
16.
It actually happened. Just canvassed a house full of people who didn’t know tomorrow is Election Day. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/uq9fDhnB0Y
— Clara Green (@ClaraTGreen) November 4, 2024
17.
Anecdotally, during our canvass yesterday a pregnant woman told us she informed her boyfriend in no uncertain terms that she would 100% dump him on the spot and take custody of his kids if he didn’t vote for Kamala. https://t.co/7NsGncdSEM
— Louie (@DJLouieXIV) November 5, 2024
18.
Neighborhood kids playing in the street asked us why we are knocking on doors, deputized themselves as unofficial ambassadors for their block telling us who is home and who has big dogs I love canvassing
— organizermemes (panda era) (@OrganizerMemes) November 3, 2024
19.
This is all anecdotal, but after canvassing southern PA today, I feel confident that the dogs are voting NO on doorbells.
— Stephen Holland (@sholland06) November 4, 2024
Have you ever volunteered for a political campaign? Share your stories in the comments!
