{"id":1220,"date":"2025-04-12T21:00:13","date_gmt":"2025-04-12T21:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mikevictor.com\/?page_id=1220"},"modified":"2025-04-23T16:47:47","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T16:47:47","slug":"hello-canvass","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mikevictor.com\/?page_id=1220","title":{"rendered":"Hello, Canvass!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Here are some ideas<\/strong> for a “best practices<\/strong> approach<\/strong>” to canvassing. The goals for this effort are to build networks<\/strong>, enhance cohesion<\/strong> and ensure institutional knowledge<\/strong>.
I start from the belief that Democrats generally<\/strong> benefit<\/strong> from a large<\/strong>, committed<\/strong> volunteer base and a deep reservoir of good <\/strong>
will<\/strong>. I think that effective<\/strong> canvassing mirrors<\/strong> the way we interact<\/strong> with friends<\/strong> and people we respect and trust: we don\u2019t<\/strong> try to convert<\/strong> them or pressure them into adopting<\/strong> our beliefs\u2014because that\u2019s not how trust is built<\/strong>. When people encounter issues that truly<\/strong> resonate with them, they respond<\/strong> best to conversations<\/strong> grounded in respect<\/strong>, not persuasion<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can provide people with the means<\/strong> to respond, but not tell<\/strong> them what they should do or think<\/strong>. And why<\/strong> should we? We have incomplete<\/strong> knowledge of their situation, and we are not in a position to provide good, targeted granulated advice<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think that when people see an opportunity<\/strong> to act<\/strong>, they will<\/strong>. We need to provide a lot<\/strong> of attractive opportunities so that they are able to<\/strong> act. ( end of rant. )<\/p>\n\n\n\n

……………………………………………..<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Note on The Development Process<\/strong>
This whole approach was developed on the fly<\/strong>. I believe this is an essential foundation<\/strong> that guided<\/strong> the development of every aspect of the event and especially the promotional<\/strong> materials for the canvassing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I didn’t<\/strong> spend weeks carefully crafting just one detailed flyer<\/strong> and then getting it printed<\/strong>. I printed 4 x 8 inch cards<\/strong> as daily “editions<\/strong>” changed from day to day to reflect my conversations with people at their door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I only distributed each edition<\/strong> to a dozen people at a time and that process<\/strong> allowed me to continually<\/strong> update the cards. Since I had very good notes<\/strong> of each door I visited I could return to them<\/strong> with important new info<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

………………………………………….<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My intent here is to outline the practical<\/strong> nature of the approach<\/strong>, meaning, how<\/strong> is this implemented<\/strong>. Secondly, what are the tools<\/strong> I think we need to do this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m not using any walksheets or maps generated by the VAN or WAVES. I create my own maps<\/strong> through a recon<\/strong> and census<\/strong> of the areas I decide to work<\/strong> in. That may sound daunting but it truly isn’t because of the extended time available to me by starting in January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, I identify<\/strong> the most likely friendly<\/strong> houses based on clues such as political<\/strong> signage<\/strong>, an electric vehicle, A2D2<\/strong>, friendly bumper stickers on cars, BLM<\/strong> signs and education<\/strong> yard signs. Whatever looks positive. I often include addresses with Wee Free Libraries in front of their house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then I add these addresses to saved<\/strong> maps ( in google maps ) that include important notes about the addresses that I add on the fly<\/strong>. Google maps<\/strong> is part of a collaborative suite that includes google docs<\/strong>, drive<\/strong>, gmail<\/strong> and groups<\/strong>. Because the information that is gathered can be easily transferred between these tools<\/strong>, it is relatively simple to generate<\/strong> spreadsheets, documents and email. These are now highly<\/strong> reliable and personally controlled records that I may use for a very broad range<\/strong> of canvassing efforts. These maps are extremely<\/strong> easy to share with others who want to drop<\/strong> lit<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

::::::::::::::::::::::: DEVELOPMENT NOTES ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
General Outline<\/strong> and Notes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maps<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Art and Graphics<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neighborhoods<\/strong>, Locales and Areas<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shared Interests as Canvass Focus: Expo 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FollowThrough<\/strong>: An Invitation Canvass ( Expo 2025 ) provides continuous future contacting and canvassing. Reports, Updates and FYIs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paper and Materials<\/strong>: Why CardStock and Index Stock<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tools and Essentials<\/strong>: Puppy, WCDP Stamp<\/strong>, Post-It Notes, Google Maps<\/strong>, Notepad or notepaper, write upside-down pen or pencil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The relaxed<\/strong> and casual<\/strong> nature of this kind of canvassing is possible because of: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1- The luxury<\/strong> of an early start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2- It is not a candidate focused campaign and relevant throughout the campaign cycles<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3- A conservative expectation for the number of face to face contacts– Less than 6 contacts are the goal for each outing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4- Allowing time to listen is essential<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5- Walking very slowly allows plenty of time for making notes somewhere. There may only be 3 or 4 houses to knock on any linear block.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6- “On the fly<\/strong>” allows for inexpensive promo and info materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Further Development:<\/strong> these are ideas for things to push out to the canvassed audience post event, either in person, eSomething, or USPS.
The point of this is to foster a sense of follow through, and commitment to the canvassed audience. I want them to feel like there is a lifeline of sorts.
General<\/strong> FollowUp and News related to the event
A form for questions<\/strong> from the canvassed audience
Communications<\/strong> in general on any topic
Detailed<\/strong> Information
Event Report<\/strong>
Event Afterwards<\/strong>
For Further Information<\/strong>
Links<\/strong> to Materials Covered at Event
Links to Groups<\/strong> and People Featured at Event
WCDP Upcoming Events<\/strong> and Calendar<\/strong>
General Upcoming<\/strong> Events to Promote
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here are some ideas for a “best practices approach” to canvassing. The goals for this effort are to build networks, enhance cohesion and ensure institutional knowledge.I start from the belief that Democrats generally benefit from a large, committed volunteer base and a deep reservoir of good will. I think that effective canvassing mirrors the way […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1220","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mikevictor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1220","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mikevictor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mikevictor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mikevictor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mikevictor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1220"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/mikevictor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1220\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1261,"href":"https:\/\/mikevictor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1220\/revisions\/1261"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mikevictor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}