The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Campaigning — and voting — 2020 style
Campaigning for elected office is grueling at any time — knocking on doors, greeting rail commuters at 5 a.m., going to every chicken dinner fundraiser. But this year the coronavirus pandemic has changed everything.
Oh sure, some traditions remain intact — both parties lining up at the dump Saturday mornings to wave as residents drop off their refuse (yes, looking at you, Newtown).
But even going door-todoor is different this election — masks, social distancing, leaving literature on the mat instead of the door knob.
What has it been like campaigning in 2020?
I talked with some office holders and seekers during editorial board endorsement interviews, and emails, about their experiences. And what about the voters on the other side of the door — do they feel safe going to the polls Tuesday or have they already cast absentee ballots? Stay tuned as we check in with my virtual edit board of readers from around Connecticut.
“Campaigning has been challenging this time,” said Susan Chapman, the former first selectman of New Fairfield who is running against the Democratic incumbent state senator for the 24th District. “I have been using social media to get the word out about my campaign, literature drops and some sign waving.”
Social media has its own set of the unexpected. During a Zoom interview Aeris and Etta started fighting like the cat and dog they are. “I had to stop everything to get them separated,” Susan said.
State Sen. Majority Leader Bob Duff of Norwalk admits to being “bummed” he had to forgo his “traditional ice-cream social in my back yard or my pasta dinner dance.”
But he found a way to make light of things when Gov. Ned Lamont came to the home of state representative candidate Stephanie Thomas for the Democrats’ third “weekend of action.”
“Many people were on a Zoom rather than being in person, but wanted to say ‘hi’ to the governor,” Bob said. “I jumped in behind him,” waving arms wide in the photo bomb. Not quite like Aeris and Etta tangling, but just as funny and a chance to lighten up.
Elisavet “Ellie” Kousidis is the Republican challenging Duff. “Probably one of the most difficult aspects of being a first-time candidate is getting your message out to voters,” she said. “We used a combination of modern technology and traditional campaigning in order to do it.”
This is the second time Democrat Michelle McCabe of Fairfield has run for the 28th District seat. She’s not knocking on doors this time.
“Our choice meant a reliance on phone banks, texting, mail and digital to get the attention of voters,” she said. Interestingly, she found it easier this year to reach voters. “I appreciated the time that people spent with me on the phone, sharing with me what at times were very emotional and personal stories. I feel like I spoke directly to more voters in this election than the last.”
Republican state Sen. Tony Hwang has the job Michelle wants.
Tony has focused on phone calls. “I was pleasantly surprised that most people appreciated the calls and value the social interaction even if it was a political campaign call. It reminded me that we, as human beings, crave the interaction, socialization, and we need to remind people that we are there for each other.”
Julie Kushner, the Democratic state senator for the 24th District in Danbury, has cautiously done some neighborhood door knocking.
“The pandemic has left many of us isolated and lonely,” she said. “When I knock on their door people welcome a sense of normalcy — even when the conversations are through windows!”
The conversations she has are sometimes heartbreaking — such as the woman whose husband died of COVID and she couldn’t bear looking at his truck in the driveway. ( Julie’s office worked with the DMV on paperwork to facilitate a sale.)
Sometimes after a long day of campaigning, Julie has to call her 91-year-old mother in Nebraska to share the “troubling and tragic” moments.
“The main difference campaigning during this pandemic is the magnitude and breadth of this public health/economic crisis that we are all experiencing,” she said.
They’ll go in person
Though contracting the virus is a concern, some say they are more worried about their vote counting so they will take a risk and go in person on Tuesday.
Jen Tucci, of Guilford, said she and her husband, Drew, decided to wait and vote in person.
“We felt that as long as we're wearing masks and careful, the COVID risk was not any higher than a trip to the grocery store,” she said. “I am more concerned about a person making the judgment about whether my mail-in ballot was counted or not. I was worried that I would make some small mistake that allows them to nullify my vote.”
Laura Kostin, of Greenwich, also will vote in person, “with two masks on. I want there to be no ambiguity.” She’s worried about how long it may take for definitive results.
Pam McFeely of New Canaan will be there Tuesday “because it’s a great American tradition.”
“I also want to see my vote with my own eyes, go through the ‘ machine,’ not worrying if it’s been dumped in the trash. This an important election, deciding in which direction this country will go.” She’s voting Republican, by the way, “top to bottom.”
Diane Lauricella will vote in person because she recently moved from her Norwalk address and doesn’t want to risk a mail mix-up with her ballot.
“I will wear PPE and take special precautions, but will also check to see if voters are wearing PPE indoors as well,” she said.
Catherine Mathieu, of West Haven, will be wearing her N95 mask when she walks to her polling place at a local elementary school Tuesday.
“I want to make sure my vote is counted. No mail-in issues,” she said.
Pat Kohl, of Wallingford, needs some normal, “so I will be voting in person on Election Day this year, as I have done every year since I turned 18. ... I feel completely safe going to the polls to cast my ballot, and I am looking forward to doing it.”
Greg Helms of Norwalk hasn’t missed an opportunity to vote since 1978, but he’s concerned this year about “countless examples of fraud and disenfranchisement across the country” diminishing this important right. He’ll be at his local polling station, with a mask, on Nov. 3.
Sandy Graniss, of Ridgefield, said she plans “to soldier on and vote in person. I’m not worried about contagion and I expect we’ll be in and out in no time.”
They voted already
Many readers say they’ve voted already — and used drop-off boxes instead of the mail.
Patricia Garcia of New Haven filled out her absentee ballot on the day she received it and dropped it off at the ballot box at City Hall.
“We weren’t going to trust it to the mail with the orange menace trying to destroy the USPS,” she said. “It has never been more important to vote, and I hope everyone does their due diligence to get this country moving back to a democracy.”
Tom Witt, of Middletown, also filled out his absentee ballot right away and used the ballot box at City Hall to avoid potential virus exposure.
“I have faith in our public officials to make sure all votes are counted, including my own,” he said.
Some found the state’s tracking system reassuring.
Lisa Athnos, of Stamford, used a drop-off box, “tracked it and got confirmation it was received.”
“Everyone in Stamford is wearing masks in public, but why chance it if I can vote remotely? It is an electrically charged election and the aftermath of it might be even more so.”
Joe Carbone, of Southbury, also checked with the Secretary of the State’s website to verify his ballot was received after dropping it off at the town hall ballot box.
“With Trump denigrating everything about mailin we are very worried. We are concerned about peopled showing up without masks and challenges to the process,” he said.
Brian Sharlach, of Redding, used the drop box at Redding Town Hall, and checked the online tracking system for confirmation so he has “no concern that my ballot may not be counted.” He voted absentee as a precaution against the virus.
Mike Hodish, of Bethel, also used a drop box for his absentee ballot.
Still, it’s sad, he said, “that our presidential vote in our little state counts for very little.”
Deborah Weir, of Greenwich, has a different reason for voting by absentee — she’s got other plans. “A friend offered to take me to the David Hayes sculpture field in Coventry on Election Day,” she said.
The only place I’ll be going on Tuesday is to the Municipal Center in my town — mask in place, sanitizer in hand — to vote in person and have it counted that day.