Union members canvass for Obama

Keith Walker, news & messenger
Published: October 4, 2008

Union members from the District of Columbia and Maryland met on Lee Avenue in Manassas Saturday morning to canvass the area in search of voters for Barack Obama for president.

Members of the Service Employee International Union, Local 500 and Local 32BJ said Virginia's newly acquired status as a swing state makes it attractive to

activists.

Jackie Lichter, the state director for the union that represents school workers, security guards, child care workers and building services workers said identifying voters in Virginia is hard.

"I think part of the difficulty —of canvassing in Virginia, without party registration—I think you have to make more of an effort to go out and talk to people to find out who they're supporting," she said. "We hope to identify the citizens who are living in the

area who support Obama."

Obama campaign staff briefed the union members at the Obama campaign offices at 9210 Lee Avenue before they hit the streets of Manassas to go knock on doors.

Kevin Hills came from Temple Hills, Md., to help the other volunteers who were dressed in purple T-shirts with union logos.

"Some people don't do things on their own. Sometimes you have to come to them and say 'Will you?' and give them a reason why they should vote," the 50-year-old Hills said.

Ray Owens of Windsor Mill, Md., said he thinks Virginia is ready to flip and vote for a Democrat for president for the first time since 1964. He said he came to try and help the process along.

"Senator Obama as president is going to make the change and get everything back on the right track," Owens said. "I think it's important because we need change and we need Washington to start working again."

Sharon Brett said Democrats recognize Virginia's importance to this year's election.

"It's an important swing state in the election," the 24-year-old District of Columbia woman said. "There are people here that need to get out and vote, and the campaign needs them."

"A lot of people think it could be the deciding state," said Brett's friend, Rivka Berstein-Stern.

Keith Walker can be reached at 703-369-6751.