With election day looming near, the Democratic Party of Eau Claire hosted several A-list politicians at Brickhouse Pub on Saturday for their final “Get Out The Vote” weekend. 

The event facilitated canvassing and other efforts for folks looking to encourage voting in the community. Volunteers at the event came from near and far, with some traveling from out of state and even out of the country to help get the vote out in Chippewa Valley.

WI Lt. Governor Sarah Rodriguez, MN First Lady Gwen Walz and Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Benjamin Wikler all spoke at the gathering, offering words of praise and encouragement for the volunteers. 

The all-day event also featured figures like State Rep. Jodi Emerson (D-Eau Claire), State Assembly Candidate Christian Phelps and members of the leadership board for the Democratic Party of Eau Claire.

“We know that Wisconsin and the Chippewa Valley is an incredibly important area for our state and for our nation, because we keep on getting special guests here,” Emerson said.

Gloria Hochstein is vice chair of the Eau Claire Democrats executive committee and chair of the Rural Caucus for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. She said she’s done several “Get Out The Vote” weekends in the past but that this was by far the most energetic of them all.

Leading up to election day, canvassing for “Get Out The Vote” happened at 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m. every day.

According to Hochstein, there are currently hundreds of volunteers knocking on doors and assisting in voting initiatives. She said some volunteers came from Minnesota, California and as far as Australia to help get out the vote.

Jenny Lee is from Australia, and she traveled to the U.S. to assist Democrats campaigning for Harris. She said she is deliberately not campaigning herself, but is doing as much as she can to free up American citizens who want to do so.

Lee’s work ranged from tracking canvassers, going out herself, phone banking or anything else that was needed.

Rodriguez praised the commitment of Wisconsin communities to getting out the vote.

“These election events are happening all over the state,” Rodriguez said. “They’re doing canvas launches, they’re knocking on doors, they want to make sure that Democrats are making it into the voting booth so their voices are heard.”

This was one of many large-scale campaigning efforts in the Chippewa Valley this election season. 

“Your voices —your neighbors, your friends, your community —- are what can sway this election,” Rodriguez said. “It’s not me, it’s not Kamala Harris … she is doing a fantastic job, so we need to make sure that we are supporting her by getting her message to every single door that we can.”

For many of the canvassers, it was their first day ever knocking on a door. Rodriguez, who did door knocking in 2016, praised their efforts, referencing her own experience with voting encouragement.. 

After that election, Rodriguez said, she decided to take action. She has knocked on doors, made phone calls, run for office and now holds the position of Lieutenant Governor.

Volunteer Sharon Lind said she has had a “great” experience canvassing in Eau Claire with the Democrats since this past summer. 

“I know a lot of people are afraid of canvassing because they think it’s going to be combative,” Lind said. “But my experience, totally, has been that people are good people. When we knock on doors of people who are for the opposition, they have been very polite.”

Rodriguez said she’s had positive experiences with those around her who are on opposite sides of the political coin.

“I have the privilege of speaking to Republicans as my neighbors, as my friends, as my family members and I do know that there is more that unites us than divides us in this election,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez encouraged the group to vote for her fellow Democrats on Nov. 5. She also said to vote “no” on the Constitutional amendment on the ballot and to vote “yes” on Eau Claire’s public school referendum. 

“I have things that I want to do with Governor Evers this term, and I know there are things that you want us to do,” Rodriguez said. “And if we don’t have the Assembly and the Senate there to help us do this, we are going to be unable to do the work that we want to.”

Emerson said following Harris’s campaign announcement, there was a visible increase in community involvement with campaigning. She said she’s seen a mix of new and veteran door knockers, as well as people coming from other areas to help.

She said when Biden was still running, local Democrats had been banking on a “bottom-up” approach to the ballot, hoping that local candidates would help take Biden over the edge with them. Now, she said that excitement has been renewed for a new generation.

Hochstein emphasized the importance of female voters and their enthusiasm over this year’s campaign.

“We’ve been talking about the need for women to get out and vote, and how receptive women are to this campaign,” Hochstein said. “Women are voting in greater numbers than they ever have, and for good reason.”

Hochstein said there is a lot of political nuance that contributed to turning Eau Claire County blue. As time passes and the amount of progressive candidates running increases, it ends up “eating away” at what once leaned the other direction.

Hochstein said politically, the Chippewa Valley has become a “bellwether” for how the non-Milwaukee part of Wisconsin will go.

“Eau Claire has sort of become this blue center,” Hochstein said. “Also, the 3rd congressional district is very much not one way or the other. Right now, it’s a little bit more biased toward the Republican side because we still have not got new congressional district maps.” 

Emerson said Tim Walz’s nomination for vice president prompted many Minnesotans to help with canvassing to support him.

When Gwen Walz spoke to an enthusiastic crowd in the evening, she said she and her husband are grateful for the support of democrats around the state.

“What you’re doing in this race is just amazing,” Walz said. “Because of you, Kamala and Tim have the momentum right now.”

Lind said she is heartened by the energy of the community leading up to the election.

“It’s great for the soul, it’s great for enthusiasm, it’s for people who believe fiercely in what’s happening here, and it’s an outlet to help,” Lind said. “It’s a great sense of community, so don’t be afraid. It’s a great effort, and it makes you quit worrying for a while.”

Wojahn can be reached at [email protected].