There has been much comment about the upcoming Democratic and Republican primaries and the candidates' strategies for energizing (or putting to sleep) the voters. Looking back over the many campaigns I've worked in over the years, I believe the idealism and fire of the younger voters has been missing for some time in both parties.

The concentration of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama's campaign on young voters has brought memories to the surface that I had forgotten. I was in my 30s when I first became a Democratic committee person, and I was active for 10 years. In those days, our focus was door-to-door campaigning, and one of my responsibilities was to train the college-age volunteers on what to say and what not to say. The voters have always been eager to express their opinions on issues and candidates, and I enjoyed this aspect of my duties. The young volunteers had to really know their stuff before we let them out on the streets.

There was a virtual absence of technology in those days. The phone banks were located in office buildings that were closed in the evening, and we contacted voters the old fashioned way using index cards, without the use of recordings. It was a tedious process, and you had to deal with irate folks who, although they shared your political beliefs, didn't want to be bothered in the evening.

Later, I accepted a paid position at a regional office of the New York State Assembly speaker which involved constituent assistance, writing press releases and representing the speaker at events. We still worked on campaigns on our own time before elections.

Eventually, technology was finally employed in campaigns and was extremely helpful and time-saving. I remember the first time we received a fax. It was from former Governor Cuomo, and we all stood around and marveled at this incredible, new invention.

Working on campaigns was exhilarating and exciting but exhausting. Each day brought new challenges, and we had to always be on our toes, even if we were up late working the night before. The young kids loved being part of the political process. As the veterans of campaigns from local to presidential, we tried to set a good example on how to conduct an intelligent, ethical and successful campaign.

T&D Correspondent Shirley Upton can be reached by e-mail at writer@ntinet.com. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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