I am an attorney in NYC and my wife (also an attorney) and I just returned from a trip to North Carolina. We went to Wilmington, intending to monitor the vote there (a role I did years ago on election day in Pennsylvania). But by the time we arrived, another attorney reported that he had been to various locations and things were so quiet and uneventful that he decided he could be more useful canvassing, especially in certain other areas. So that is what we all did.
For two days, my wife and I knocked on doors in the area of Whiteville, N.C, which is the county seat of Columbus County (with a population between 5,000-8,000 (we were told). The specific areas we went to were quite poor. Almost every resident we saw was African-American. This area was also seriously affected by the floods. A number of residents thought we might have been with FEMA. Aside from the flood, jobs were clearly scarce. Several volunteered that they needed work. Another man said he needed more food stamps. Many, if not most, of the homes were in dire need of repair.
Despite the conditions, the residents were almost universally welcoming and polite. Perhaps that was because they were also Hillary supporters, but I think it’s just the nature of the community (and frankly, not what this New Yorker expected).
And they were particularly appreciative once they realized our function. Essentially, we identified ourselves as working for Hillary and other Democrats, said we were encouraging early voting, emphasized that their votes (and N.C generally) could be decisive in this election, and we offered them rides and other logistical information about voting.
These people, for the most part, were not high-information voters, but they were well aware who was running and what the stakes of this election are. Yet — and here is perhaps the most important point I have to share — even though most wanted to vote, and wanted to vote for Hillary — a considerable percentage still lacked the basic information about when and where they could vote. So, at the end of the day, we really felt useful providing that information. It was very rewarding and we thought that we made an actual difference.
On our third and final day, we canvassed in Wilmington. This area was a bit better-off economically, and a little more racially mixed. But the basic experience was the same. Again, the people were welcoming and appreciative.
Finally, I want to make one more point specifically about the most recent allegations the Trump campaign has been promulgating about a pending indictment of Hillary. Though these allegations are scurrilous and unfounded, they plainly impact at least some people. One man (who was unemployed and lived in a trailer park) told us that he was planning to vote for Hillary until he heard on the radio that she was about to be indicted. We patiently and calmly explained that this information was wrong, to which he replied, “since when do they lie on the radio?” This was an entirely serious comment, made without a hint of sarcasm. And the comment made me realize how important it is to answer last-minute claims, no matter how baseless they may seem. But he seemed to take us seriously when we took the time to discuss the substance (or lack of substance) to the allegations.
So in sum — and I say this for anyone else considering helping out in the closing days:
Canvassing is pleasant. People are generally polite and appreciative.
Canvassing is productive. Even people planning to vote, often lack basic information about how to do it.
Finally: Canvassing can be useful to dispel misinformation. There are still some voters who are susceptible to mere allegations, but are open-minded when talking to a live person.