TYPES OF VOTER CONTACT ACTIVITIES
With all of these things in mind, it is important to ask the following questions as you consider the
various types of voters contact.
1. How much does it cost in time, money and people?
2. Do you know what voters are being reached?
3. Are they being persuaded?
4. Can you find out if they support your candidate and make sure that they vote for your candidate?
Each of the following types of voter contact meets these various criteria to varying degrees.
LITERATURE DROP
A literature drop is when volunteers go door-to-door leaving a piece of literature about the candidate at each household. A large number of volunteers can cover a large area relatively quickly and, because you know that the houses are in the voting district, you know that only potential voters are being reached. The volunteers are not talking with voters, so they do not identify supporters, but they can leave a reminder to vote at the supporters’ homes just before Election Day.
LITERATURE HANDOUTS
Your campaign can also hand out literature wherever people gather in large numbers. This could be at markets, factory gates, train stations, metro stops, etc. While this may be a lot easier or quicker than the literature drop at the voters’ homes, it is less targeted because you are not certain that the people who take your literature live in the district or can vote for your candidate. Often this type of activity is targeted around a particular issue that will concern those gathered in that area. For example, you may want to hand out a piece of literature about saving a factory at the gates of the factory, or repairing the metro at a metro stop, or building a new senior center where seniors are gathered.
DOOR TO DOOR
One of the most effective ways to persuade voters is to go from house to house, apartment to apartment, door to door, talking to individual voters one at a time. You are able to hear the problems they face, tailor your message to meet their individual concerns and gage the level of support. Often voters are impressed that a candidate would bother to come meet them and you can gain their support just by making the effort.
