King County Executive candidate Dow Constantine is probably headed to the general election, recent polls indicate, but his youthful volunteers are making one more push today to pick up a few last-minute votes. “They’ve been amazing,” field director Jared Jonson said in Fremont this afternoon. “We’ve had mostly young people here.”
The volunteers, many of whom are high school and college students, probably should be enthusiastic. Jonson said talk of the general election is forbidden in the campaign office, but Constantine is creaming the other Democrats in the polls (although he still trails Republican Susan Hutchison).
Caitlin Larsen, a campaign intern and student at St. John’s University in New York, was on her second round of sign waving today. This morning, she and others stood over the west end of the West Seattle Bridge. “I really like Dow because he’s the most progressive guy out there,” she said, pointing out his environmental stances and positions on equal rights for gays and lesbians. But like a lot of the other students in Constantine’s army, she won’t be able to stay around for the general election.
They went back to the office around 1 p.m. to burn through a few pizzas, and hit the phones again at about 1:30 p.m. The campaign had already made about 2,000 calls by early this afternoon—calling a primary electorate old enough to be these kids’ grandparents—and Jonson said he hopes to reach 3,000 more by the end of today. About ten volunteers and interns sat down and picked up whatever phones they could find, and a few even used their own cell phones. Most of the calls were just to encourage people to get their ballots postmarked or dropped in a ballot drop box by today.
Volunteer Michelle Huynh said that while “calling’s been good,” some folks “just hang up” if they don’t want to hear from the campaign.
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That’s strange. Up until that, I thought Larry Phillips had a lock on young volunteers. In fact, in almost all the parades and other events, it was very noticeable that Larry’s crew was much younger than Dow’s crew.
Both are great guys mind you – hope they both beat out Susan Hutchinson, the Republican
Hutchison doesn’t have teen supporters, only that one angry-looking attack gay she brings with her everywhere who scowls and crosses his arms at everything and refuses to shake hands or smile for pictures.
You know who I’m talking about.
ConstanTeens!
Baconcat, are you referring to the freakishly hot Jordan McCarren? He is a Scowly McScowlenstein.
This is why Dow makes it through the Primary.
Also, why Dow loses in the General.
I just ordered my mom some Dow Constantine from Amazon.
Non-stick cooking?
I vote yes!!
The youngest people I know (who can vote) are all working for McGinn, actually.
Yay! Dow’s parade crews were full of very enthusiastic college students and other 20-somethings. I also know Caitlin and she rocks! 🙂