Wendy Schneider targets approximately 108 homes in Beloit, Wisconsin, in a single day. However, most of the candidates she supports refuse to represent her locally. She lives in Winnebago, a few miles south of the Illinois-Wisconsin border.
“In 2004, when John Kerry ran, they called them ‘Kerry Travelers,’ but this year I’m doing it for Kamala—20 years later,” writes Schenider. She views her campaigning for Vice President Kamala Harris as personal, as one of her daughters was shot at Michigan State University in September 2023.
Rock County Democrats welcome assistance from Illinoisans crossing into Wisconsin, a critical swing state in the 2024 presidential race.
“People from Illinois who may be in a safe blue seat, they’re really doing something to help us get Wisconsin over the hump,” states Theresa Boston, head of the Rock County Democrats.
According to the chair, President Joe Biden won Wisconsin by “3 votes for every ward” in 2020. Boston hopes to expand its lead in the last days of the election. She has one tool at her disposal: knocking on doors.
“People like to be asked to have their vote from any candidate,” according to Boston. The chair organizes volunteers from Rock County in the basement of a Beloit business complex.
On Sunday, Schneider sits in the office between canvassing sweeps, drying up from the fall rain. The Winnebago mother had another chance to dry out earlier, when a 94-year-old German immigrant invited her inside.
Schneider forged a bond with the woman over a shared memory: the 94-year-old remembered how World War II destroyed her church in Germany when she was 14 years old, during her confirmation. Schneider claimed that this incident inspired the immigrant to vote against former President Donald Trump.
“I was able to talk to people who were confused, who didn’t understand what to think or who to vote for,” he says.
Across the state line, State Rep. John Cabello (R-Machesney Park) is spending his campaign promoting other candidates. Without an opponent, the Republican sees a chance to aid others through fundraising and doorknocking.
Hearing how Illinois Democrats cross the border reminds Rep. Cabello of the financial disparity between the state parties, particularly because Governor JB Pritzker (a billionaire) donates millions to Illinois Democrats.
“You can send resources to other places,” says Rep. Cabello. “But you better have your pulse on the races in your own backyard—because if you don’t, that’s where we’ll pick up.”
While the digital age has enabled political commercials to dominate the internet, Democrats and Republicans contend that doorknocking cuts through electoral “noise” and diversions. Rep. Cabello confirms that Americans’ top problems this election are inflation and cost of living; Boston hears about reproductive rights and Trump’s concerns in Wisconsin.
A Republican congressman feels that letters and media appearances help establish a strong campaign. However, conducting door-to-door campaigns is a crucial aspect.
“If you can get to the three points of contact, especially that personal meeting face-to-face, you’re probably going to get their vote,” remarks Rep. Cabello.
With the election approaching, county-level Democrats and Republicans across the state are seeking volunteers.
