2/20/2004

Door-to-door method thrives at local level

Brianne Bongiovanni
Daily Kent Stater

Before spending Valentine’s Day with his wife, Portage County Commissioner Chris Smeiles spent part of Saturday at Kentwood Restaurant and Lounge with 50 women from the Federated Democratic Women of Portage County.

The women and local candidates running for various offices met to discuss current issues in the county. Smeiles’ opponent in the Democratic primary, Timothy Ludick, was absent from the luncheon.

“This is an important part of the job,” he said as he passed out brochures to the women.

Smeiles is up for re-election in the Democratic primary election March 2. He has been doing a lot of campaigning in addition to fulfilling his duties as president of the Portage County Board of Commissioners and being a full-time real-estate broker.

The high-profile campaigns of the presidential candidates cost millions of dollars and can employ hundreds in professionally coordinated efforts. But at the local level, the candidates themselves still go door-to-door and make yard signs in their own time. “I will be gone three, four or five nights in a row,” he said. “I leave at 7 a.m. and am sometimes gone ’til 11 p.m.”

Deborah, Smeiles’ wife of 20 years, said she once spoke at the Federated Democratic Women’s luncheon about being a politician’s spouse.

“I told them if a politician doesn’t show up at an event, to try to consider there may be times they just can’t get there because of family time,” she said.

“My dad, who is 81, my brothers and my 14-year-old son all helped me put up my signs,” he said. “The big 4x8 takes two (to put up).”

“If I didn’t do the signs a person could assume you aren’t serious about the campaign or you are being overconfident,” he said. Smeiles said his budget for the primary is $30,000. His largest expenses are in advertising and postage for brochures.

Smeiles said the expenses have paid off for the 16 years he has been a commissioner.

Around 1993 Smeiles started holding an annual golf outing fundraiser. He said he saves the registration money earned from the outing to put toward campaign years.

“The events throughout the year give you a chance to talk to the public about issues important to them,” he said as he was on his way to a Special Olympics bowl-a-thon to present a proclamation declaring Feb. 14 bowling tournament day for people with handicaps.

“The focus should be on the kids, not me,” Smeiles said. “At the luncheon (Kentwood), those people expect politicians to talk to them, but this group is not a political group.”

Chuck Holden, director of Portage County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, said at least one commissioner always attends the bowl-a-thon.

“Chris has been a great supporter of the program by attending these events, supporting levies and being open to our concerns,” Holden said. “Chris is comfortable around our population.”

During the bowl-a-thon, Smeiles expressed his concern about voter turnout.

“If Kerry gets too far ahead, the Democrats won’t come out and vote,” Smeiles said. “We need a good voter turnout.”

Part of achieving a good voter turnout is going door-to-door, Smeiles said.

He said he usually knocks on every door in the neighborhood.

“Most of the time you get a polite thank you and good-bye,” he said. “But today most people are out buying flowers.”

E-mail: bbongiov@kent.edu