How a Vegas Garage Helped Swing Nevada Blue

More than hi-tech has been born in a garage

By Donna West

East Las Vegas is some of the hardest turf in the country. Adults work long hours. Many voters work multiple shifts since they are holding down two jobs in hospitality or culinary. To catch people at home, we have to hit the doors in the area frequently.

During the run-up to the 2016 Nevada caucus, the Clinton campaign wanted a satellite center in my heavily Latino neighborhood, and decided to use my garage. Since then, “The Little Garage” has become a neighborhood outpost where neighbors come by for yard signs and to volunteer. We organize phone banks and canvasses. People like coming to someone’s house. Canvassers are more willing to ask questions and seek out advice than they are in more formal, official-looking settings.

High-profile Democrats come by The Little Garage to meet and energize volunteers. Adam Schiff, Maxine Waters, and Gavin Newsome have all spoken to volunteers gathered in my driveway. I make flyers and invite all the neighbors when there’s a special speaker. One year, the great activist and farmworkers’ rights legend Dolores Huerta came. That morning, my neighbors woke up to a crowd chanting her slogan, “Si se puede,” at 8 a.m.

We organize the flow through the garage using a a U-shape. Volunteers sign in, get their walk packet, and get their snack and Gatorade, and then exit the garage.  After that, they either head out, join a group for training, or get matched with a seasoned volunteer if they are new to canvassing.

We are a key location for campaigns in every election now. Nevada usually has razor-thin electoral margins. In addition to our local volunteers, activists from both red and blue states come here to canvass where they can and do make a real difference. In the 2022 Senate race, the week before the election, the Republican Paul Laxalt was ahead in the polls by an average of three points. The Little Garage canvassing operation deserves some credit for Democrat Catherine Cortez-Masto’s win by 8,000 votes, less than one percentage point (0.8 points). 

When I teach people to canvass, I say, “Read and understand the script so you know what you’ll need to fill out. Then listen.” A mistake Democratic campaign organizers made (and still make sometimes) is thinking Latino voters only care about immigration. I stay open. After I introduce myself to the person who answers the door, I say: “I’m volunteering for [the candidates’ names]. They want to know what’s keeping you up at night.” I wait and listen. I was on a door a month ago for a primary. A gentleman told me he was having trouble with Veterans’ Affairs. I gave him a number and told him, ‘They’ll help you cut through red tape.’ If we approach conversations with openness, we can really help. He called to thank me. It worked—the number I gave him helped.

I consider every knock a relationship. I’m not just there to sell them something. Part of what I’m doing is teaching people how to work through the system. Schools don’t teach civics, so it’s tricky for people to know whether to go to a federal or state or city official.

We will carry a lot of lit, sometimes as many as ten different pieces. I find that I talk about a couple pieces and then leave the rest. I always emphasize that “if you have questions, you can call me. I can connect you with the candidate.”

I say any garage or house could become a hotspot for democracy. You have to consider parking and noise levels and what your neighbors will think. My neighbors across the street are Republicans. Initially they were not too happy with our activities, but nowadays they smile a lot more. In neighborhoods with a homeowners association and regulations, there might be issues.

But otherwise, it doesn’t take a lot. You need folding tables, chairs, and wifi.

You get to build relationships in the community and find out who your Democratic neighbors are (and aren’t). If you live in a swing district, or really anywhere that pro-democracy canvassers are going to be out in the field, consider offering your place as a neighborhood hub where local connections can build from year to year. That’s so valuable to building democratic momentum AND it’s rewarding—the chance to see how you have an impact.

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