On February 27, 2002, NBC's The West Wing aired the "Hartsfield's Landing" episode – focused on a tiny town in New Hampshire where every person's vote counts.

This month, almost two decades later, the cast of this now-classic show performed a staged reading of the same script to remind, encourage, and persuade voters that every person still counts.

Emmy Winner Richard Schiff, who played White House Communications Director, Toby Ziegler on the show, was part of that special.

What You Need To Know

  • On February 27, 2002, The West Wing aired an episode focused on a tiny town in New Hampshire where every person’s vote counts

  • This month, almost two decades later, the cast of this now-classic show performed a staged reading of the same script 

  • The staged reading was produced under strict COVID-19 protocols and shot on the stage of an empty Orpheum Theatre in DTLA

  • The special, which is available on HBO Max, has made a donation to Michelle Obama’s nonprofit “We All Vote” as part of a collaboration

Schiff states that he and the cast have gotten together to work on PSAs and the last few presidential campaigns.

"Some of us communicated to each other that we should do something positive for this year's election cycle. And at the same time, we heard that Aaron wanted to do a Zoom reading as many other cast members have done. Then we realized that this moment in time was important to help remove the obstacles to voting in front of people in this cycle. We all got together and decided to do it for 'We All Vote,' the charity of Michelle Obama that helps people figure out how to vote," said Schiff.

The cast thought it would be a regular Zoom meeting, but it turned out to be a fully-staged production.

"It was a beautiful rendition. Aaron comes from theater, we're all theater people, and it made perfect sense to us. It was stunning how well it was shot and how well it worked," added Schiff.

Even though the "Hartsfield's Landing" episode came out almost 20 years ago, it is still relevant to democracy today.

"I remember thinking that it was a very beautiful episode back in the day when we originally did it. It was a little ode to our democracy and a reminder that every vote counts. And, when I reread it, I was stunned by the emotional response I had to it. Because, as we face an existential crisis in our democracy and the threat to its very existence within the next week or two, it was remarkable how powerful that storyline is today," added Schiff.

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In his work, Schiff is trying to encourage voters of all ages—especially young voters.

"I like to say to the young people that the consequences of elections are real. And, 40 years from now, they're going to be able to look back and say to their kids and grandkids that they helped save democracy in 2020. They can and will make a difference; it needs to be an overwhelming turnout for us to defeat the obstacles that are holding us back to having a full and representative democracy," said Schiff.

Even though The West Wing ran from 1999 to 2006, it had a lasting influence on its fans.

"It's surprising and odd that some work that you did 20 years ago is being viewed and appreciated now. It's so weird. You're getting reaction constantly everywhere, from Twitter to people on the street. The new generation that's discovering The West Wing is just incredible and, no one would've expected that 15 to 20 years ago," said Schiff.