Five Secrets to Better Field Campaigns

With the 2022 primaries in full swing (goodbye Madison Cawthorn!), many campaigns are in canvas mode. To kick that outreach into high gear, here are Five Secrets to Better Field Campaigns. Subscribe to the Organizing to Win monthly newsletter for more! If the sign up box didn’t appear on this page, just click into any other page.

  1. Save the paper until the end. The door-hanger or palm card should be a voter’s reminder of their conversation with a canvasser, not a replacement for it. If a volunteer hands over the paper at the beginning of the conversation, the voter may read it instead of listening, at best! At worst, they will accept the paper, say “oh thanks,” and close the door.
  2. A voter isn’t “undecided” until you’ve asked at least twice. In theory, an undecided voter will get another knock, phone call or text later in the campaign. In reality, how likely is it that a volunteer will ever find that voter at home again? Seize the opportunity of the face-to-face conversation by giving more information and asking again. The script should always have a special Undecided section for this exact purpose.
  3. I’ll give you the short version.” When a voter answers the door with “I’m in a hurry. I don’t have time right now,” the right response is “Ok. I’ll give you the quick version,” then launch into the regular script. Because the real script is still only about two minutes long. Besides, when are you ever going to find that person at home again? Seize the moment!
  4. What have you heard so far about this race?” Use this question in a script just after the introduction and before giving information about the candidate. It provides for a tiny bit of interaction before launching into a couple of uninterrupted sentences from the canvasser. Plus, the canvasser can get an idea of whether the voter knows something already or has a particular issue in mind. 
  5. Almost every answer except Yes or No is Not Home. The guiding rule is that if the canvasser does not get to ask the question “Can we count on you to vote for our guy/gal?,” it’s probably a Not Home. Unfriendly voter? Maybe they’ll be in a better mood next time. Locked gate? Maybe another canvasser can get in or call. Too busy (and Secret #3 doesn’t work)? Try again next time.  The point is, coding that voter as a Not Home will put them back in the universe to try again.

PS. Undecided Not Home. A voter who is marked Undecided will be removed from the outreach universe; if you’re lucky, they will get a follow-up knock, phone call or text. But a Not Home will forever stay on the outreach list until there’s an answer to the question. 

Bonus: Deletes are rare. Only mark a voter delete if they passed away (and there isn’t a deceased option) or are so rude and obnoxious that you can’t subject another volunteer to their abuse. Sometimes, people are just having a bad day and they’ll be better the next time. (See Secret #5.)

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