During rush hour. In the pouring rain. She makes her way from door to door in a south Minneapolis neighborhood just east of Edina, armed with campaign brochures and protected only by a patriotic red, white, and blue umbrella. I'm running for Hennepin County District Court judge. Most people say they don't know enough about judicial candidates, so we're trying to change that, one person at a time.
Most residents look a little bewildered, taking a brochure without offering much response.
One woman promises to vote for Mottl because of her involvement with mock-trial programs in area high schools. Don't go door-knocking during Vikings games. And don't ring the doorbell if you can see someone inside talking on the phone. In her bid to unseat Hennepin County District Court Judge Patricia Kerr Karasov, Mottl is doing more than knocking on doors. But her effort is the exception rather than the rule.