Knock Knock… Or Just Drop Drop? Vanessa …

Picon is always surprised when members of the media don't take a moment to verify campaign claims.

Ward 2 Reno City Council candidate Vanessa Vaupel reportedly told KOLO she knocked on 1,000 doors. But did she really?

Based on what we've heard from readers, it appears a more accurate description may be that she dropped literature at 1,000 doors.

How do we know? We heard from numerous readers who said they were home when campaign literature appeared at their doors. Several said the materials were even personalized. The common theme? No doorbell rang. No conversation occurred. No candidate was seen.

What one of our readers sent to us … you know the people who were home but just got a lit drop from Vanessa not a knock.

In campaign terms, that's called a lit drop, not door knocking.

Now, there's nothing wrong with a lit drop. Campaigns do it all the time. But there's a big difference between leaving a flyer and having an actual conversation with a voter.

One requires shoe leather. The other requires answering questions.

And perhaps that's where the distinction matters.

Voters deserve to know whether a candidate is engaging with residents or simply checking boxes on a campaign spreadsheet. After all, knocking on 1,000 doors sounds impressive. Dropping 1,000 flyers is something else entirely.

The bigger question is whether Reno voters are being introduced to an independent candidate with her own ideas or a carefully managed candidate who will reliably vote the way others expect once elected.

That's a question voters should answer for themselves. Vanessa reminds us of another Brandi Anderson so if you want two councilmembers on the dais who do what they are told …