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Politics & Government

On the Campaign Trail

With local elections only two weeks away, Harrison's supervisor hopefuls are putting foot to pavement on the campaign trail.

Campaigning is not for the weak of heart. It is a grueling process physically and emotionally.

Both of Harrison’s supervisor candidates are realizing this to be the case, as they campaign around the clock with every minute and every vote a crucial one.

Campaigns are costly, ranging from the low end at $35,000 to the higher end of $80,000 to $100,000. In addition to campaigning, candidates are expected to raise funds individually through fundraising dinners and solicitations that will add to monies spent from county Democratic and Republican Party coffers.

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Incumbent Mayor/Supervisor Joan Walsh has been through more campaigns than most due to her town roles and positions going back to the 1970s. This year’s campaign is slightly different because she has team members who have not been involved in previous campaigns. For that reason, Walsh finds herself taking more of a leadership role and making more decisions than she has had to in the past. She has to put in hours determining the campaign timetable and strategy with input from the Democratic Party leadership as well as put in the physical hours campaigning.

For challenger Ron Belmont, this is his first campaign and he has thrown himself into it.

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These are long days for both candidates.

“We are campaigning 24/7,” Belmont said. “I try to be on the Harrison train platform at 6 a.m. and stay till 9 a.m., then hit the delis in town till 10:30. I am on the phones throughout the day and am going door-to-door or to functions from 5 to 11 p.m. every night,” he explained.

Interestingly, both candidates said their favorite part of campaigning is what I would have thought would be their least; door-to-door visits.

“People are friendly and you get to talk one-on-one to a large part of the town. It’s very productive, the residents can ask individual questions, hear your answer and respond,” Walsh said.

Walsh walks door-to-door four mornings a week with the aim of getting to at least 80 residents every day.

The town is divided into strongly pro-party areas: for example the Trails and Braeburn are viewed as predominantly Democratic, while Brentwood is seen as predominantly Republican. This doesn’t stop the candidates from canvassing all areas. Both parties try to do one day downtown, the next uptown and the next somewhere else to keep a presence in all areas.

Neither candidate has encountered any aggression from residents in any of the areas.

“I find the residents very receptive and rather than feeling bothered they love that people are actually coming to them and making the effort to hear their view,” said Belmont. “No one has taken me to task yet.”

Walsh agrees.

“I’m truly encouraged, people have been very warm and welcoming,” she said. “There have been a few stonewalls who make clear their party affiliation, but they have still been very generous in allowing me to let them know our perspective and then we move on.”

Walsh finds that most residents main concern is taxes. After that the rest of the issues are very localized.

“After taxes most discussions center around issues like potholes on their street, or parking issues around their homes,” she said.

Each of these interactions can be time consuming.

“I spend as much time as possible with every resident because I believe that as long as I’m engaged with them I have a chance to get their vote, whereas the next three doors night not have anyone available or responsive,” Belmont explained.

The campaigning is not limited to door-to-door though.

“We have someone from the party at tables at the supermarket, at every soccer game and every town event,” Belmont explained.

Both candidates are aware that even social functions are no longer social until after the election.

“While the parties are great, we have to party conservatively. I’m actually losing weight despite all the dinners and parties. People want to talk issues and I want to hear what they have to say, so I am involved in deep conversation every time that coconut shrimp goes by,” Belmont said with a chuckle.

Both said the grueling campaign schedule brings each of their teams closer together.

“We are walking the streets every day, putting up signs together, attending functions and spending more time with each other than with our families,” Belmont said. “It really brings you closer.”

There are also changes that each side thinks could improve this process. Walsh, for example, believes the extended campaign period would be better if shortened.

“It used to be that nothing would start until after Labor Day. Now campaign planning starts in June and we are actively campaigning by the beginning of August. I think both residents and candidates would be better served if the campaigning was limited to a six-week period,” she said.

Belmont said he wishes the town could make changes to the political signs scattered throughout town.

“I’ve made requests that those small signs that litter the town around election time be disallowed and I am also against negative campaigning of any kind,” he said.

Despite all the rhetoric, grueling scheduling and large dollar amounts spent on the campaigns, Belmont said one door-to-door visit put it all in perspective.

“After hours of door-to-door visits one lady saw me at the door and said ‘I know you! My son said I have to vote for you,” Belmont said. “I was pleased that all the hard work was making a difference and asked what her son had read or seen that got his vote. The mother looked surprised and told me that her son was just a child and hadn’t read anything. She told me that her son was a supporter because our house has the best Halloween candy!”

Trust a child to find the real sweet point in the election process.

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