Retirees as political campaign volunteers (states, chores, support, benefit)

[MI-Roger]

We spend one night per week volunteering on letter writing campaigns for one Party. Primarily Local and State level candidates.

[foodyum]

I have volunteered for candidates where I felt strongly about the outcome. Same with financial contributions. I’ve hosted candidate house parties a few times.
I like being involved and always hope that there will be candidates worth getting excited about.
I used to be more passionate.

[RJ312]

Originally Posted by TMSRetired

For as long as I can remember the poll workers were always seniors.

Retirees have the free time to do it.

Originally Posted by SunGrins

Not lately but some years ago I was part of a 'get out the vote' canvassing team. It was okay back then. Things have changed since then and I probably would not go knocking on doors now.

I've never understood canvassing. No campaign effort has ever knocked on my door. I wouldn't want to deal with it either.

[Serious Conversation]

The vast majority of the pollworkers here are elderly.

[snebarekim]

I have been active in elections to some degree for years, in the capacity that I could (sometimes from afar)

I was a volunteer election monitor in The Republic of Georgia in 2014 also.

I am not quite retired, but will be soon and plan to stay active on the in person level when I do retire in 2021, but at the local/state level mostly. I prefer local involvement where the impact is most real to those I live near.

But I would certianly stand watch in a polling place for national elections also. No door to door knocking for me.

[SunGrins]

I was searching family history and found newspaper accounts where my great uncles (in an Irish gang) would go into polling places and bully or beat up people in line to vote if they favored the “wrong” candidate. Sometimes they would vote repeatedly at different polling places. The gang leader was a state senator and one of the uncles was a constable. This was around 1900. We don’t do that anymore.

[carnelian]

no one is running for office in my state that I would work for, even when I have nothing to do.
And what they want me to do is not what I want to do, such as ringing doorbells.

I volunteered for my US senator briefly a few years ago, he lost and retired. I got a chance to talk with him.
A nice guy. The office was so disorganized, too many volunteers, not enough work and I was expected to use my cell to call voters. Very futile.

[Boompa]

They are dragging down the entire system. Bringing the same old tired corruption with them. Let the young take over

[TuborgP]

Originally Posted by Boompa

They are dragging down the entire system. Bringing the same old tired corruption with them. Let the young take over

So are you not volunteering? That’s the question

[TwoByFour]

Not me. I volunteer in local community and environmental efforts. You can actually see results. Politics is like a high school popularity contest, full of big egos and who knows what will really happen if your guy actually gets elected? I know, I am cynical.