Door-Knocking: The King of Voter Engagement Tools

It should be no surprise that as Executive Director of American Majority Minnesota I’m in constant contact with local candidates across the state.  And while the pattern of conversation can at times be rather random (you name it, we probably discussed it, campaign-related or not) one of the topics often mentioned is door-knocking.

Candidates often bring up door-knocking when providing me a reason why they can’t attend one of American Majority’s upcoming trainings.  Truth be told, I’m perfectively fine with this.  Honestly, if every candidate told me “I’m going to be out door-knocking” I’d be a pretty happy camper (although I would strongly encourage you to take a few hours off from door-knocking and come to an American Majority Training).  However, I’m a little concerned, actually more than a little, that some candidates aren’t door-knocking even when they tell me so.

Now I don’t mean that candidates are just coming up with an excuse that sounds good, rather that their idea of door-knocking isn’t really door-knocking.  For candidates who believe that door-knocking and literature drops are one in the same and have them on equal footing, you are wrong, sorry guys, but you are.  Simply put, if you aren’t taking the time to go up to the door and actually knock on it and engage potential voters you aren’t door-knocking.  Putting a piece of literature in the door without actually knocking on it is by definition a literature drop and quite frankly a waste of time.

How do I know?  Well, for one, put yourself in the potential voter’s shoes.  Are you going to be more persuaded based on a piece of paper that more often than not gets lost amongst the variety of other items tucked in your door on any given day or by someone who engages you in a brief but effective conversation? I’d say the later and think that most, if not all, would agree.  Still have reservations about this?  Think that I’m crazy because you can “hit” more doors by lit dropping vs. door-knocking?  Have you considered asking yourself what is more effective?

These questions were addressed in a 2002 study by Yale political science professors Donald Green and Alan Gerber in which they conducted a series of door-to-door canvassing experiments in six cities, including our very own St. Paul, MN.  The results are certainly noteworthy.  They found that during a local election, each face-to-face contact with a voter increased his/her chance of voting by seven percent.  Furthermore, their results suggest that every 12 face-to-face contacts garner one additional vote, even if that voter had never heard of the candidate beforehand.

Need more convincing, believe that other tools such as literature drops, phone banks, direct mail, radio and television ads are more effective?  Green and Gerber go on to point out in their study and in a recent book entitled “Get Out The Vote” that literature drops produce just one vote for every 66 houses contacted and other methods, as cited above, are even less productive.

Are you a believer now?  Do you now agree with me that regardless of the information age in which we live in, door-knocking is and will remain a centerpiece to any winning campaign strategy?

I certainly hope so…