Reply #43

Having canvassed in 2008 and this year for Tim Kaine I know a little about this type of operation.

You can't just turn people loose to canvass. They have to be trained and it is a PROCESS not just a 3 day thing.
The data has to be analyzed after each run (weekend) to see what results you are getting and where the next area should be.
You simply can't cover enough ground on the last weekend to make much of a difference.

We canvassed from August on and in it I learned more and more about the best approach. I learned to gather information as I neared a door and to leave little notes on the handouts. Did ORCA even have literature to leave on doors? If they had a Va. Tech yard sign their literature had a GO HOKIES!! written on it. If there was anything religous in sight I mentioned Kaine's mission work in Honduras. etc. I knew to keep it short and that the introduction (first sight) was as important as anything I could say.

Our organizer spent hours picking areas, researching them on Google streetmap, and put packets together including driving directions and a suggested course map. He followed up with data entry so they had knew what had been covered and where to return to for GOTV. Literature changed as the campaign went on. He knew where to send what canvassers - I got apartments because I could handle the stairs easier than older volunteers and he knew to give me larger packets because I could cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time.