CANVASSING GUIDELINES LETTER

What is a Canvass?

Canvassing refers to going door-to-door in a neighborhood and having conversations about important issues with community members. It is an essential component of organizing. We use canvassing to talk to voters about issues that matter to them, spread our message and recruit new volunteers. The results of every conversation are recorded so we can make sure we are organizing in the most efficient way possible and focusing on what's most important to voters.

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Be prepared with Your Materials

● Map and Walk List - Your walk list is made up of the households you will visit and will be provided by the organizer. Its best if you pair the walk sheet packets up so that two people can walk in the same area together.

● Script - The script will be provided by your canvass organizer and is meant to act as a guide for your conversations. It will feature a number of questions you should ask the voters you speak with.

● Tally Sheet - The tally sheet will typically be a part of your walk list. It is critical that when you talk to each voter, you code your conversations correctly on the walk sheet with a measure of support from 1-bad to 5-good and a short results code like not home, not interested, yard sign, volunteer, ... If interested, ask for email address.

● Campaign Literature - Give each voter a candidate card. If the person is not at home, leave the literature using a door-hanger. Do not leave any literature in the mailbox as this is illegal.

● Pens and a Clipboard - Be prepared by making sure you have supplies to make canvassing easier. Having a clipboard to write on will make recording the results of your conversations much easier. If you do not wear an identifying T-shirt, the clipboard will show that you are legitimate.

● Comfortable Walking Shoes and Water - Be prepared for a few hours on foot and bring water.

● Yard Signs - Have yard signs available in the car for anyone who wishes to have one.

● Contact Information - Exchange cell phone numbers with other volunteers in case you get delayed or lost.

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Role playing the Script

There are two basic persuasion skills that should be emphasized when training canvassers: eye contact and keeping the conversation and message as short as possible. Eye contact conveys trustworthiness and confidence. A short, simple message is best because the basic ideas we want to communicate get lost when we over-explain ourselves. Finally, a short, simple message is polite. Do a couple of role plays using the script for your canvass. What is important to the campaign is that you have some idea how the person stands on your issue. Ask one or two qualifying questions in order to determine how the person stands.

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A good example of such a qualifying question is, "so can we count on your vote?" Make sure that if the person at the door says "yes", that they know how to vote by mail and encourage them as strongly as possible to get out to vote. Here's a sample canvass script: "Hello, I'm Leah and this is Scot. We are with the ______ Campaign, and we are encouraging your neighbors to vote for ___________. Are you familiar with candidate _____?" Wait for a reply before suggesting an issue like education, healthcare, environment, ... "Here is some information to help you to decide. Can we count on you to vote?" "Thanks for your time. Be sure to vote by mail after October 16th. You can register at Vote.Utah.Gov "

 

Important Safety Guidelines

Civil rights campaigns can be dangerous. Be sure to consider the safety as you go out on the canvass.

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>> Volunteers should work in pairs rather than alone.

>> Coordinators should have the names of every volunteer on the canvass and know where they have been assigned. >> Assign a return time by which volunteers must report back to the canvass staging site, and hold them to it.

>> Record all incidents of harassment or assault, and be prepared to contact the police and to deal with trauma. >> Canvassers should never enter the home of any person on the canvass route.

>> Canvassers should have a phone number to call in case they get lost or an emergency arises.

>> Canvassers should be able to recognize signs of danger such as neo-Nazi paraphernalia, etc., and avoid these areas.

>> Canvassers should beware of dogs - just leave a door-hanger on the gate.