ward heeler

American  

noun

U.S. Politics.

1. a minor politician who canvasses voters and does other chores for a political machine or party boss.

---

ward heeler British  

noun

1. Also called: heeler.  derogatory politics a party worker who canvasses votes and performs chores for a political boss

---

Etymology

Origin of ward heeler

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

Example Sentences

As we circulated among tables of sewer workers who'd been forced to buy $100 tickets, I ran into an old ward heeler who'd gotten his start in the organization of Blagojevich's father-in-law, a powerful alderman.

From Slate • Jun. 9, 2010

The authors went a little overboard in their portrayal of Brennan as the court's Irish ward heeler, who, they claimed, worked the halls of the court twisting arms and perhaps even trading votes.

From Slate • Apr. 10, 2010

He got his start as a ward heeler for a city council member, then won a council seat in 1983.

From Washington Post

He likened U.S. efforts in Europe to "a ward heeler trying to catch the floaters with a $5 bill."

From Time Magazine Archive

The dumbest ward heeler was smart enough to know that time, no matter what else it did, passed, and that the school boy of today was the voter of tomorrow.

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith