Volunteers working for John Tonello's campaign for mayor of Elmira will be making calls and knocking on doors in the final days leading up to the Nov. 8 election, urging people to vote and support his call for positive change.

"From the start, my campaign has been about engaging Elmirans in the democratic process," said Tonello. "This is the final step. It's continued personal contact with people that makes the difference, and we're encouraging people to learn all they can about city and county races and then vote."

Tonello, a Democrat who has been going door-to-door and talking with voters since first announcing his plans to run for mayor May 19, will be listening to voters and answering questions about his vision and platform for the city. Volunteers will be doing the same, hitting key neighborhoods and pushing the entire Democratic ticket.

"It's important that people understand my positions unfiltered and one-on-one," he said. "There's no such thing as too much communication."

Tonello will continue to emphasize key elements of his platform, including:

• Community policing and support for a fully staffed police department to fight crime
• Fighting for living-wage jobs and promoting local labor
• Better ties between the city and its schools to encourage growth
• Using the Empire Zone to continue spurring local investment
• Consolidation efforts that save money, reject privatization and improve services
• A comprehensive approach to downtown development
• Rethinking road repairs so more streets get paved
• Neighborhood efforts that unite citizens and make the city as a whole stronger
• Listening to the people and keeping government accountable