Video from inside the van shows a bumpy ride, with a cage separating the mostly black door knockers from their driver. The driver also told the group of knockers that he was in pain and had difficulty driving: “I just had surgery, bro,” the U-Haul driver says in another recording obtained by WIRED. “As if half my foot had been cut off.”
“I’m scared,” the door knocker who spoke to WIRED responds in the recording.
“And the only thing (the manager) worries about is how many damn doors the bitch has,” the driver responds.
Enumerators were then dropped off approximately 40 minutes apart, relying on the mobile app to record their interactions at the entry gates.
In a contractual agreement reviewed by WIRED, door knockers were given specific “performance guidelines” along with a mandate to “keep the GPS function of your personal device on during all work hours.” Each knock on the door must be done in 15 seconds or less, and contractors “must remain on the property for at least 30 seconds.”
The Campaign Sidekick app used by America PAC has serious limitations in its functionality, including the lack of a geo-tracking feature (hence the requirement that pollsters leave GPS services on for their personal devices at all times, according to a contract reviewed by WIRED). forcing them to use “offline guides,” a feature of the America PAC app, which does not offer GPS support or real-time upload capabilities.
While this particular group of door knockers was managed through Blitz Canvassing, screenshots shared with WIRED show America PAC listed on the mobile app they were using to knock on doors.
“Recommended attire includes a red polo shirt with khaki pants or jeans and closed-toe shoes,” the contract’s “attire” section reads. “No clothing with graffiti, writing or ripped jeans/shorts allowed.”