Making a difference is why Lucas Mooney stays motivated when knocking door-to-door.
Mooney, a sophomore studying political science and a member of Young Democrats at ASU, spent Sept. 21, 2024, canvassing alongside other members of the organization for local representatives.
The Arizona Democrats held a canvassing launch this September, themed "Hispanic Heritage Month and Education," for Legislative District 9, which includes neighborhoods in West Mesa and part of Tempe. The event had 30 volunteers who knocked on about 1,000 doors throughout the day.
The volunteers gathered at the Arizona Democrats' office in Mesa, to meet with the candidates and split into canvassing groups.
"Walking in here feels amazing," Arizona District 9 State Rep. Lorena Austin said. "The energy is just palpable, and you feel it. It immediately lifts your spirits."
State Reps. Seth Blattman, Analise Ortiz and Austin all attended the event to canvas for their campaigns.
"We've been really focused on rebuilding that trust between community members and their legislators," Austin said. "For some people, they've never had someone come knock on their door."
The event began with a joint speech from the three representatives, where Austin said it's imperative that the voters see themselves within the candidate they're electing.
"Talking to voters and making sure that they know what we stand for versus what our opponents stand for is extremely important," Blattman said.
According to Blattman, supporters "showing up in numbers" wasn't common for their campaigns a year ago, but it has "built over time" as the November elections near.
Day in the life of a canvasser
Mooney said he began canvassing three weeks prior to the launch event to advocate against the policies being implemented by Republicans. He has canvassed 13 hours in total so far.
He said that for young people to start gaining control over what happens in politics, they need to participate themselves.
"I think that one of the most important parts of impacting politics is just being there," Mooney said. "It's hard for people to listen to those who don't want to show up."
Angela Gomez, a senior studying secondary education and the Young Democrats at ASU treasurer, also attended the District 9 event, where she canvassed with her mother.
Since Spring 2024, Gomez has gone door-to-door for the Democratic Party, even through the summer heat.
"It was really hard to complete lists because you would just get so exhausted so fast," Gomez said. "If we didn't complete the list, we would go finish it the next time we canvassed, which made it harder to get to people faster."
Gomez and her mom were assigned 30 houses to visit between the two of them during the canvassing launch. Gomez said it was the shortest list she's had.
Of the 30 doors they knocked on, only three answered.
"I would say it was a success because we were able to get the information to them," Gomez said. "We completed the list, so nobody was left off."
Mooney said he estimates residents don’t open their doors for about 80% of the time, but it does not discourage him.
"In my mind, there's always the next door," Mooney said. "At the next door, I've learned all these skills, and I'm going to be a little bit better next time."
When faced with a person who does not answer their door, Mooney and Gomez leave information about the candidates outside their house.
READ MORE: What's on the ballot: A guide to Arizona's propositions for the November election
As they canvassed through neighborhoods, the volunteers were required to make note of all their data in an app called MiniVAN.
The MiniVAN app is made specifically for political campaigns where volunteers can make note of interactions that they have with potential voters.
Gomez also said there is a gain from canvassing on a social level because "it's a good way to try and meet people."
Additionally, Mooney has found from his recent political participation that his "view of humanity has improved."
"I thought people would just never want to hear what I have to say," Mooney said. "But what I've learned over the past three weeks is that most people are willing to hear you out."
The Arizona Democrats in District 9 plan to knock on about 26,000 doors before election day. They host canvasses at least four days a week and plan to host over 100 more canvas launches during the campaign.
"There's always this feeling in the back of my mind ... if I procrastinate, that time spent procrastinating could have been spent knocking on a door," said Mooney. "And that door could have decided the election."
Edited by George Headley, Sophia Braccio, Alexis Heichman and Natalia Jarrett.
Reach the reporter at ehprest1@asu.edu and follow @ellis_reports on X.
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Ellis is a sophomore studying journalism and mass communication. This is her first semester with The State Press. She has also worked at Arizona PBS and Blaze Radio.
