Canvassing

In an election canvassing is a method used by a political campaign to directly speak to large numbers of voters.

Related Topics:
Election - Political campaign

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There are three basic goals of canvassing. The first, but generally not the most important, is to try to convince voters to vote for a candidate. While converting voters would ideally be a central goal, it is difficult, requiring knowledgeable and charismatic canvassers, and time consuming. To reach every voter in a district a canvasser cannot spend more than one or two minutes per person, rarely enough time to have a significant discussion.

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However, in races that do not get much press coverage, canvassing can be an effective way of boosting a candidate's name recognition among the electorate. Often the voter will vote for that candidate because they are the only candidate in that race that the voter has heard of.

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The second goal is thus just to get a candidate more name recognition. This can be done quickly and easily and is effective. Voters are far more likely to pay attention and vote for a candidate they have heard of. The canvasser also delivers literature, usually a leaflet that contains a picture of the candidate and a few highlighted issues.

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Of great import, especially in North America with low voter turn-outs, is using canvasses to draw up lists of supporters. On election day these form the centerpiece of the get out the vote efforts that are crucial in modern elections. Thus canvassers will mark down each voter as being a supporter, an opponent, or undecided. The list of undecideds can also be used to focus later canvasses.

Related Topics:
North America - Get out the vote

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There are two basic types of canvassing: field canvasses and phone canvasses.

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