Unite Here canvassers entered ‘no soliciting’ buildings around city

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Unite Here canvassers entered ‘no soliciting’ buildings around city
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By Alexander Fernandez, Alexandria Journalism Project

Unite Here, a union that mainly represents workers in the hospitality industry, may have violated Virginia state law by entering Alexandria condo and apartment buildings that do not allow soliciting to distribute placards endorsing current City Councilor Alyia Gaskins for mayor.

Employees of two complexes, Meridian at Braddock Station and Carlyle Towers Condominiums, said in phone interviews that their buildings have clear “no soliciting” policies and that residents have complained about the Unite Here placards that appeared on doorknobs in their buildings. Both employees also admitted that the no solicitation policy is difficult to enforce.

Tina Davis, an executive assistant at Carlyle Towers, said her employer does not allow solicitation. There is a sign posted at the front of Carlyle Towers that reads, “Welcome, No Solicitation, Please Do Not Follow Others Into the Lobby.”

Davis also said despite the prohibition, the complex is not able to enforce penalties for violations.

“Well, we don’t have any penalties, we just [escort] them off the property. And we call the company that they are representing and let them know that in our buildings, we do not allow for solicitation of any kind,” Davis said.

Troy Watson, a building manager at the Meridian at Braddock Station, said Meridian also does not allow solicitation and that solicitors, if caught, are made to stop.

“The first thing we’re going to do is just call and ask them to stop doing solicitation. And after that, then we will consider it as trespassing and go that route and look further into it,” Watson said.

Section 18.2.119 of Virginia code, “Trespass after having been forbidden to do so,” states it’s considered trespassing if someone enters a building after being told either verbally or in writing that they’re not allowed to enter. Both Meridian and Carlyle Towers have written signs at their doors that say “No soliciting.”

“If any person without authority of law goes upon or remains upon the lands, buildings or premises of another, or any portion or area thereof, after having been forbidden to do so, either orally or in writing, by the owner, lessee, custodian, or the agent of any such person, or other person lawfully in charge thereof, or after having been forbidden to do so by a sign or signs posted … he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor,” Section 18.2.119 of Virginia code reads.

Democratic Party of Virginia Voter Protection Council Canvassing Guidelines, available at vademocrats.org, state canvassers have the right to knock on doors, even ones with “no soliciting signs,” but not to canvass on private property – which apartment and condo buildings are – without permission. Campaigners are also instructed “to conduct the canvass in accordance with all applicable law.” The guidelines also say canvassers are legally required to respect “no trespassing” signs.

Bill Dickinson, an Alexandria resident residing in Carlyle Towers, said he felt Unite Here’s canvassers violated the canvassing guidelines when entering a private condominium with a no solicitation policy without acquiring proper permissions to enter and distribute campaign materials.

“It is certainly a violation of [building] rules. The basic rule has always been, at least for the Democratic Party, is you do not go to apartment buildings or condos without the express permission of the property management,” Dickinson said.

Dickinson contacted Alexandria Democratic Committee Chair Sandy Marks via email to ask her about the distribution of placards in his building and received a jovial emailed response.

“It sounds like you are in the elusive locked building, every field organizer’s most tantalizing target!” Marks responded.

Dickinson told AJP that he felt directly targeted as an active ADC member by the canvassers since he saw that no other residence had pamphlets.

“In the fact, they knew I am a regular Democrat. They found my place, and they didn’t do any of the other doors. So, I guess, I don’t have too many Democrats living with me,” Dickinson said.

Dickinson said according to the ADC’s bylaws, the Committee has “full control” of the party’s interests in all primary, general and special elections.

Dickinson said that as a veteran canvasser who had worked directly with the ADC, he believes campaign canvassing lists are ADC property that are not to be copied after use as they contain personal information based on prior voting history, something he raised with Marks.

Marks responded via email saying that the voter list Unite Here used did not come from the ADC.

“It sounds like an organization is doing some targeted canvassing and lit dropping for their endorsed slate to a universe of strong Dems/strong primary voters. All candidates on the [Alexandria] Democratic ballot are members of the ADC. Luckily, you can rest assured that lists used by door knockers in the primary do not come from the ADC,” she said.

Marks responded similarly to the Times when asked for comment.

City Council candidate Charlotte Scherer, who lives in the Meridian building, said Meridian’s no soliciting policy is taken seriously by the building management.

“There is a strict policy against solicitation in our building, and it is enforced,” Scherer said. “You must use a key fob to enter the building. There is a concierge on duty from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day. They control access to the building; however, there is a back entrance that is not monitored. People will hold the door open for others, so that would have been the easiest way to gain access.”

Scherer and her wife were confused when they saw the endorsement placards placed “surreptitiously all at once” on their apartment floor’s hallway hanging from neighbors’ door knobs. The couple went to the building’s lobby and found their building manager collecting them from residents.

Vice Mayor Amy Jackson, who is running against Gaskins in the mayor’s race, said she can’t speak to Gaskins’ campaign strategies or Unite Here’s “illegal canvassing practices.” Jackson said her campaign has followed the stated protocol for campaigning.

“I know my campaign tries to abide by the rules posted and we should all be respectful of the neighbors who do not wish to be disturbed with political propaganda.”

Unite Here, which does not have a unionized workplace in Alexandria, has poured considerable resources into helping Gaskins’ mayoral campaign. The union gave Gaskins a $10,000 cash contribution earlier this year and has paid for thousands of glossy placards to be placed on doorknobs throughout Alexandria. Many city neighborhoods have received two placards.

One Unite Here canvasser told a city resident that they are being paid $19 per hour to deliver the placards. Another canvasser told a different city resident that Gaskins herself chose the slate that Unite Here endorsed, which Gaskins and Unite Here spokesman Benjy Cannon have denied.

A Freedom of Information Act request revealed that three days after City Council last month passed the Vulcan redevelopment project in Alexandria’s West End – which will include condos, townhomes and a large hotel – Gaskins reached out to the project’s developers to connect them with Adam Yalowitz, who she has identified as her main contact at Unite Here.

Unite Here did not respond to multiple requests to comment for this story, and the AJP was also unable to reach Gaskins to provide comment.

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