Advertisement

Weather, pregnancy, sprints and mud: What campaigning is like for some on P.E.I.

There's a lot of planning that goes into any campaign on P.E.I. and one of the key portions that may get overlooked is the physical toll that comes with running from home to home in a district.

Whether it's a rural or urban district, trekking through them on a campaign can be tiring, energizing or downright hard to deal with because of weather.

Here's a look at what it's like for some candidates, from Kings Country to West Prince.

'Slogging the mud'

Cally Neal/Shutterstock
Cally Neal/Shutterstock

"I'm quite amused when people ask me about pounding the pavement because out here I'd welcome pavement," said Susan Hartley, the Green candidate in District 2: Georgetown-Pownal.

"We're really slogging the mud."

Because this rural riding is so large, Hartley said there can been a bit more driving at times.

Despite that, the trek along the "listening trail" — as she calls the roads she's travelled — in this district has still left her plenty "stiff and sore."

Thanks to her volunteers, she said, she's been able to keep up her energy up while running around this big district that runs from Pownal all the way to Georgetown.

"I have great volunteers who are bringing me high protein food and kombucha and I'm getting a good sleep actually, that's helping a lot," she said.

Clothes for any occasion

Susan Hartley/Facebook
Susan Hartley/Facebook

NDP candidate Marian White has spent a considerable amount of time battling the whacky weather in District 8 Stanhope-Marshfield.

Dirt roads turn to mud quickly, she said, and sunny days can turn to snow. Weather adds an element of unpredictability on the trail and because of that, she's got clothes for any occasion.

"I know the hazards of springtime here, but you do have to be ready.… It's raining but then it's snowing," she said.

"So I've got a raincoat, I've got a heavier coat in the car, I've got mitts, I've got hats, I've got rubber boots, so yeah, you have to be ready for everything."

Weird weather also means chasing after signs that get blown away. That's led to some serious sign maintenance on the trail too, she said, which can take time away from hitting as many homes as you can.

"That high wind there a couple of weeks ago took a lot of signs down and I'm always waiting to see what's next," she said.

Running for office, literally

Marian White/Facebook
Marian White/Facebook

In the more urban districts, like Summerside, pounding the pavement is as serious as it comes for candidates.

According to Elections P.E.I.'s district population breakdown, District 21: Summerside-South Drive has the most voters — 4,279 — and that means knocking on a lot of doors.

"I literally am running," said Liberal candidate, and incumbent, Tina Mundy. "I'm down about nine pounds."

She stopped counting the amount of doors she's been to at around 1,300, she said, and posted on Facebook a week ago that she's surpassed 19,000 total steps. Running up one driveway, having a conversation and running down to the next driveway is just how it goes here, she said.

"My toes and my feet are just a mess right now from all the walking. I've got calluses on my knuckles, that was going to be my next Facebook post … just from knocking on doors because I want to make sure I get face to face with people."

'I could give birth at any time'

Tina Mundy/Facebook
Tina Mundy/Facebook

PC candidate Melissa Handrahan has been walking for two across District 27: Tignish-Palmer Road.

There's lots of driving to do in this rural riding in West Prince, but lots more walking too and it's been both a tiring and exciting journey for the mother-to-be.

"It's been interesting, at night time I'm pretty tired being on my feet all day," she said. "The women in this community have been amazing. … They're very concerned, of course, about how far along I am. I could give birth at any time."

She's currently eight months pregnant and said the exercise has been great for her and the baby. She also hopes she serves as a role model for other women who want to have a family and enter politics.

But to do all this running around particularly in a large rural district can be tough while pregnant, she said, but it helps to plan out your eating to keep up your energy.

"Exercise, good food, positive thinking, low stress, these are the things that can help anybody, whether pregnant or not," she said.

More P.E.I. news