I never realized how emotionally difficult campaigning is.
Data entry is by far the easiest. It’s emotional (especially getting into the late hours last night), but in a fun way: you’re rushing to get through sheaves of data that all need to be entered into the computer system early enough to run the GOTV rolls for election day morning. There isn’t really room to sit; people are sprawled all over every piece of furniture and on the floor, laptop cords jumbled with various legs and jackets and backpack straps. You can hear the callers in the other rooms and in the hallways, and there’s an impatient sense of urgency in everyone’s voice. It’s exciting, and fun to be a part of.
Doing visibility (campaign-speak for waving signs at street corners) is pretty easy too, and in my mind the most fun. You get lots of people “honking for change” and the people who give you thumbs-down aren’t confrontational.
What really gets to me is the canvassing.
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