walk-around money

• walkaround money, walk around money

walk-around money (uncountable)

1. (colloquial) Petty cash, money for use on trivial items while walking around.
   • 2012, James E. Jones, Money Thief, page 43:

     Twenty dollars between the three of us wasn't a lot, but it was walk-around money for grub and cigarettes.

2. (US politics, especially Baltimore, colloquial) Money from a political campaign for use ensuring supporters bring voters to the polls, both for legitimate get out the vote efforts and political corruption.
   • 1979, “Statement of Hon. Trent Lott...”, in Hearings before the Committee on House Administration ... on H.R. 1 and Related Legislation, page 264:

     Mr Davis: Would it be feasible to use the taxpayers['] money without any checking as you're talking about here for what is commonly known as walk-around money or street money? Because under the FEC, that is now legal...
     Mr Lott: ... I guess since walk-around money is now considered legal, I guess th[e]y could use that. Some States do rely very heavily on walk-around money in their primaries and general elections as the record will show.

   • 2003 Sept. 5, Walter F. Roche Jr., "Paying of Election Day Workers OK'd" in The Baltimore Sun:

     The brief order issued late yesterday clears the way for candidates and their committees, as soon as Tuesday's city elections in Baltimore, to pay so-called walk-around money to people hired for the day to distribute campaign literature.

   • 2006 Oct. 1, Dennis Lehane, "Refugees", The Wire, 00:31:23:

     Parker: I'll tell you what I would like: another 75 in cash for walk-around money.
     Royce: 75, hm? Call another game.

   • 2008, Michael Olesker, The Colts' Baltimore, page 6:

     Loser's Town, the outsiders said. Washington had power. Baltimore's politics was based on election-day walk-around money, handed over with a sly wink by the precinct bosses, ensuring everybody got out the neighborhood vote.

• (cash for walking around): petty cash
• (potentially corrupt GOTV money): street money, precinct money