Local politician Pirjo Hilakari volunteers for Kamala Harris’s campaign in Boston ahead of U.S. elections

Pirjo Hilakari, a local politician from Espoo, Finland, is volunteering for Kamala Harris’s campaign ahead of the upcoming U.S. presidential elections. She engages with American voters via phone calls, aiming to boost support for her candidate just days before the election. “How are you?” is her opening line as she connects with voters from her hotel room in Boston.

The Finnish Democrats have sent nearly 40 members to Boston for a learning trip focused on campaigning. Hilakari explains that volunteers can target specific groups, such as veterans or members of the LGBTQ+ community. Despite initial fears about her accent, she finds that Americans are generally accepting of different accents due to the country’s diverse population.

Throughout her calling sessions, Hilakari has had lengthy discussions with voters about her experience in Finland, addressing any confusion they might have about her nationality. As the campaign progresses, she plans to knock on doors to directly engage with potential voters, emphasizing the importance of voting, women’s rights, and human dignity.

The practice of door-to-door campaigning is relatively rare in Finland, but it is common in Anglo-Saxon countries like the U.S. Hilakari expresses her enthusiasm about participating and notes that this experience has provided her with a broader understanding of electoral processes. With a busy schedule ahead, including attending a major event in New Hampshire, she hopes to bring back valuable insights to aid her local elections in Espoo next spring.

As the weather in Boston fluctuates, Hilakari’s experiences and interactions promise to be both a personal and professional journey during this pivotal electoral period in the United States.