Election Excitement

 

By Jack Yordy, Guest-Posting:

Democrats are finally excited and it is showing.

During a canvass training last weekend, two people showed up separately asking how they could donate to Kamala Harris’s campaign. Another arrived while I was making phone calls for volunteers a few days later looking for signs for Kamala Harris. On one of our canvasses, we got to pet a pig while we discussed local and national issues with its owner. She was unaffiliated but was steadfast in her commitment to voting for Harris, as she has two daughters and is excited about a potential first female president in her lifetime.

Our Voter Registration training sessions are filling up quickly. We had our first training on Wednesday of last week and volunteers were asked how they were feeling about the election. The words “excited,” “energized,” and “determined” were their top descriptors, and the energy in the room was very positive.

Social Media platforms have seen an explosion of enthusiasm around the 2024 election. As Minnesota Governor Tim Walz put it, “that’s my canary in the coal mine,” suggesting that the online shift in energy precedes a far more difficult campaign for Trump. There are new hilariously popular and positive memes about Kamala Harris, including the "coconut tree" and "brat summer," which are essentially descriptions of Harris’ vibe and expressions of excitement about her as a candidate. Discussions and excitement about the election on social media point to a big cultural shift around the election. No one wants to post or consume content about something boring, depressing, or even scary. People do, however, take an interest in excitement and hope, and that’s what Harris has brought to the table.

Volunteers are coming to us and those that we reach out to are much more interested in volunteering than before. Harris’s campaign has reinvigorated the Democratic base and is bringing new people in. This is especially important to Watauga’s issues as well. With a referendum for fair County Commission maps and three important school board races on our ballot in November, we need to be able to reach as many Watauga voters as we can. With this kind of energy and enthusiasm, we can. 

Jack Yordy is president of the AppState College Democrats and Canvassing Director for the Watauga County Democratic Party.