Canvassing is a grassroots campaign strategy used by political candidates, parties, or advocacy groups to engage with voters directly through door-to-door, digital, and phone interaction. The primary goal of canvassing is to gather support, convey a message, and mobilize voters to participate in elections or support a particular cause, such as electing a candidate.
If you’ve ever volunteered or interned for a candidate, you know in-person cavassing is not easy and has many nuances. It can be anything from awkward begging to genuinely connecting with local voters. This depends on how prepared you are for a task like canvassing. There are not many modern pieces of content about the basics of canvassing for a political candidate, so here are some unwarrented Do’s and Don’ts we’ve gathered over the years.
Do:
Know Your Candidate
Knowing your candidate is more than just knowing their platform. Knowing their background is just as important. Where did they get their start in politics, and why? What are some relevant accomplishments? Having some of your candidate’s basic lore is also good to include in your promotion material.
Have a Plan
Create a roadmap and stick to it. You can build this route through voter research using software such as VoteBuilder, or your county’s voter registration search. Scout clusters and stick to sidewalks if you can. Clusters are comparatively populated areas that have a heavy affiliation with the party you’re representing. This includes dressing appropriately. Wear the right shoes!! Walking/Running shoes are best.
Know The Rules
Be sure to know the laws and regulations in the area you are canvassing before feet hit pavement.
Listen Actively
Pay attention to what voters are saying and ask questions, such as “What change would you like to see?”, and “What are your top issues?”. Make sure to log this information for future context and reminders for you and your team.
Stay Hydrated
It can be easy to forget the simpler things when your brain is occupied. Make sure you, and your teammates are drinking plenty of water through your endeavor, especially in warm areas and/or during warmer months.
Have a Clear Message
Refine the campaign message into clear and concise points. Make sure you can articulate the candidate’s positions or goals in a way that is easy for voters to understand.
Record Your Interactions
Keeping a record of positive, negative, and neutral interactions is incredibly important. Nothing is more embarrassing than canvassing the same home twice, and the owner letting you know. Having an organized notebook or spreadsheet is key to recording interactions, and logging constituent concerns, opinions, and praises. We, and many other organizers recommend this notebook, or something similar:
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Dont:
Don’t Ignore Non-Supporters
Canvassing requires some finesse and persuasion. The overall goal is to promote and push the cause you are canvassing for. If you come across a non-supporter, make sure to log your interaction. It may be worth having the candidate go by and try to connect on a personal level with this constituent. You may change their mind, and in turn their vote. If the constituent still expresses disinterest, or is argumentative, leave them alone.
Never Enter a Residence
Never. Ever. Enter somebody’s home. This goes for areas and people you’re familiar with as much as strangers. Do not enter somebody’s home when canvassing.
Don’t Overwhelm Your Volunteers
Brains at half power are as good as no brains. Make sure not to overwhelm your volunteers. After all, these constituents are working for free most times, and more than often voting for your candidate. Maintain a professional, yet caring relationship that makes canvassing worth their time.
Don’t Leave Campaign Literature in Mailboxes
Federal law makes it illegal to put material in a mailbox without postage, essentially allowing only two parties access to an individual mailbox, postal staff members and the owner of the mailbox/residence. However, you may leave campaign material at the door, so long you are abiding by local laws and neighborhood rules.
Don’t Be “Cookie Cutter” In Your Speech
Neighbors talk and will eventually find out if you gave the same exact elevator pitch to each person on the block. This can read as ingenuine, and while efficient, careless. Switch up the language you use, and make each pitch a little different.
In conclusion, be you, and have an open mind. Be confident in your position, but be willing to hear others out in theirs. Have any tips you’d add to the list? Drop them in the comments for other readers.
