Putting the Can in Candidate - Isn't This How Every Election Should Be?

Colorado primary voters went to the polls last weekend and the turnout was heavy.

No, this wasn't an outlandish attempt by Colorado to jump ahead of New Hampshire by holding its presidential primary in October. And the votes cast weren't even of the paper, electronic or even hanging-chad varieties. Instead, these votes came in the form of winter coats and canned goods, as part of the Democrats Work "Coats and Cans" Primary.

This first-of-its-kind straw poll was held in Colorado's Second Congressional District, where three Democratic candidates are locked in a highly competitive primary fight to replace Mark Udall. The rules for our primary are simple: each can counts for one vote; each coat counts for five votes. How eager were Joan Fitz-Gerald, Jared Polis, and Will Shafroth and their supporters to cast their can and coat votes?

Very. And we're happy to report that the rumors of rampant ballot box stuffing are true.

Dozens of supporters and two of the candidates braved freezing rain and frosty temperatures to contribute 461 pounds of food and more than 100 coats in the name of their favorite candidate. The canned goods were donated to FISH of Broomfield, a local food bank, and the coats went to the Sister Carmen Community Center in Lafayette.

The "Coats and Cans" Primary is the culmination of a year's worth of service events in the Denver metro area held by Democrats Work, a national organization dedicated to mobilizing grassroots Democrats to perform community service. In our efforts to link community service and political engagement, the group has committed more than 700 volunteer hours to community service in Colorado -- cleaning up parks and trails, planting trees, and painting over graffiti, and, now, donating much-needed coats and food for the winter.

And throughout its time in Colorado -- and across the country, from the Bay Area of California to the Chattahoochee River in Georgia -- Democrats Work has made a critical discovery: Democrats prefer their politics with a side of service.

And wouldn't it be nice if all elections were like the "Coats and Cans" Primary? What if competition in a political race was less about cash-on-hand, attack ads or grainy pictures on direct mail pieces and more about how much candidates and their supporters do for their community?

While Democrats Work doesn't endorse candidates, we do endorse helping our communities and it is only right to mention that Jared Polis -- who personally delivered a car load of coats -- won Round One with 596 votes, including 60 coats and 296 cans. (Complete results can be found here.)

But supporters of Shafroth and Fitz-Gerald should not despair! Last Sunday's event was just the first of three rounds. The polls reopen on November 18th in Boulder County. The winning candidate won't be determined until the completion of Round Three, to be held in Summit County in December.

There's still plenty of time to stuff the ballot box!

Comments

[swift goat pet for truth]

Good for the Dems and Colorado.
Hope you get a better Senator than Mr. Roll over and play dead Salazar.

[PaHairO]

Good on ya, mate ...

[TLV]

Excellent idea which I see was carried out by Democrats, naturally. Better yet, how about putting a competitive spin to this and pit the two major parties against each other to see who can raise the most food donations and clothing contributions.

[BARRISTER]

That is why Republicans hate and fear democrats: Democrats are real people with real hearts and souls.
God Bless human kindness.

[jake106]

I got a news flash for you buddy, Republicans are normal people, just like you, who happen to have a different opinion on how government should be run. We have kids, families, jobs, hopes and dreams. Stop letting the politicians tear us apart as a nation by dividing us into "us and them".

[swift goat pet for truth]

Republicans are real people who run up huge bills, then pass the bill to little kids, telling them that they are the Party of Personal Responsibility.

Republicans are those who don't want little kids to have health insurance.

Republicans are those who start wars on cherry picked pieces of evidence, then send soldiers into harms way without body armor, unless their parents buy that armor to send to their kids in the field.

Republicans are Pro-Birth. Not Pro-life, not in the least. Only Pro-Birth.

Republicans are Me First, and the Devil take the hindmost.

[guajiro]

Great idea! Kind of like the Black Panthers in the 1960's. I went ahead and joined your group. Sad to say I don't see any events for my state, but, I'll stay a member and keep checking for events near me. Good work!

[ThomasBates]

guarjiro, what state are you in? Perhaps you can band together with fellow Democrats in the area to get something going?

[Ani]

Thank you, Jason, for this piece.

Yes!

Wouldn't it be nice if competition in a political race was less about cash-on-hand or attack ads, and more about how much candidates and their supporters do for their community?

I know who'd receive my vote.

All my best to you and the Coloradans who participated and gave.

Ani

[factanonverba]

Wow! This is quite ingenious and truly reflective of American values. Kudos!