You Get What You Pay For
Many candidates use paid workers at the polls. Rates and observed effectiveness varied greatly.
At one polling station, Jeff Smith's people were the only unpaid workers, and it seems like Jeff Smith employed an all-volunteer force everywhere, but that has not been verified.
According to queried workers, Gambaro pays $10 an hour, Boykins $100 for half the day, and $40 for the whole day from El-Amin (but they seemed a little unsure). The paid workers from the varying camps often didn't have t-shirts or stickers and spent a lot more time sitting down.
Some El-Amin folks didn't even have literature to hand out. One worker said "I'm not into politics" and when asked about El-Amin replied, "I don't know that much about her."
Though working hard at passing out lit, one Boykins worker said that he had voted for Smith.
All interviews were conducted, and this special written by ACCer Brian Werner.
My good friend, who worked at a polling place somewhere on Loughborough, said a Boykins worker told her he was making $60, and he actually asked her "What's the difference between US Senate and Missouri Senate."
Ouch.
And yes, all Jeff Smith workers were volunteers, except for his interns and immediate staff.
Posted by Kelli on Tue., Aug 8, 2006 at 6:54 PMTo quote Jeff, quoting Bobby Kennedy at his near victory night two years ago, "there is nothing more powerful than the heart of a volunteer."
St. Louis elected a good man tonight. Though the stop Jeff forces are probably already licking their wounds and plotting more desperate shenanigans in creaky clubhouses deep in the North and South Sides tonight, Jeff Smith will get over 50% in 2010.
The most surprised group over the coming few years will be Missouri's Senate Republicans, who will find that the new State Senator is neither gay, nor 'hippy-dippy,' nor easy to roll or pigeonhole, but very very hard to dislike.
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they attack you, then you win.
Posted by Artie Harris on Tue., Aug 8, 2006 at 11:28 PMBig ups, Artie. WOOHOO!
Posted by Kelli on Wed., Aug 9, 2006 at 12:07 AMDerio did not pay his poll workers $10/hour.
For more information about poll workers and 4th District analysis, visit: http://katiefavazza.townhall.com/g/628403e1-3b10-4198-9b65-d8c82890535b
Posted by Katie on Thu., Aug 10, 2006 at 4:17 PM
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