As the November 5 election approaches, voters in the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania are actively participating in early voting. By Monday, October 21, nearly one million ballots had already been cast, according to data from the University of Florida’s Election Lab. Recently, a significant influx of volunteers from the Northeast arrived in Pennsylvania to engage in door-to-door canvassing. Despite this, questions linger about whether these efforts will be sufficient for the Harris-Walz ticket to secure a win.
Perspectives from those leading the Democratic campaign in Pennsylvania and the critical coalition of external groups dedicated to voter mobilization remain optimistic. Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Harris’s national campaign manager, recently stated in an interview with Politico that their campaign has established the largest and most advanced operation in Pennsylvania’s history, boasting 50 coordinated offices and nearly 400 staff members. The campaign has also invested heavily in advertising targeting Black and Latino communities over the past year, apparently surpassing any previous presidential campaign in this outreach.
Additionally, Ravi Mangla, the national press secretary for the Working Families Party, shared data indicating extensive door-to-door efforts. Collaboratively, groups like One PA, SEIU, Make the Road Action, and many others have reportedly reached millions of voters, aiming to connect with one million more by Election Day, focusing on engaging less consistent voters crucial to this election. This aggressive effort extends into the suburban areas around Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, with other organizations participating in similar initiatives.
However, despite the scale of these activities, uncertainties persist. Concerns are raised about the Harris campaign’s reliance on the infrastructure built for President Biden’s previous campaign, which experts suggest was not designed for large-scale mobilization. Following Biden’s withdrawal, Harris’s team had to manage an unexpected surge in volunteer participation. Groups like Win With Black Women fostered significant involvement yet faced challenges in channeling this support effectively within Harris’s campaign framework.
The Harris campaign, reportedly utilizing the organizing infrastructure of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), is employing various techniques to foster engagement, including relational organizing through tools like the Reach app. Nevertheless, this approach is viewed as being top-down and media-dependent, with suggestions of underutilization of friendbanking strategies.
Political issues also play a role. State Representative Chris Rabb from Pennsylvania expressed concerns over the lack of engagement with local organizers in crucial districts. Rabb highlighted the absence of grassroots strategies similar to those successful in former President Obama’s campaigns and criticized the focus on external and celebrity-driven efforts over local engagement.
Furthermore, the shift toward data-driven campaigning in the Democrats’ strategy has led to an emphasis on metrics over relational voter interaction, raising questions about the effectiveness of such tactics when engaging potential voters on a more personal level.
Despite these challenges, a bright spot emerges from the disorganized state of the Trump-Vance campaign’s get-out-the-vote operations, with reports of inefficiencies and ineffective canvassing efforts surfacing.
In conclusion, while turnout is a decisive factor in Pennsylvania’s outcome, the Harris campaign’s potential victory hinges on the effectiveness and reach of its extensive field operations. As Election Day nears, further engagement efforts could still prove pivotal.
