Welcome to the block walking team! Thank you for stepping up to help power this campaign. Every single person you meet is a conversation that can move us closer to victory. Whether we’re identifying supporters or getting out the vote, your voice makes a difference!
1. Why Block Walking Matters
Research shows that direct face-to-face conversations are the most effective way to persuade and mobilize voters! And when people see their neighbors excited and energized around the elections, not only are they more likely to vote for James, they’re more likely to join the campaign and volunteer too.
2. What We’ll Be Doing
We use block walking for 3 reasons:
- Voter ID: Finding out who supports James, who is undecided, and who’s with the other side
- Persuasion: Connecting with voters on the issues that matter most to them, sharing James’s positions, and moving undecided voters towards supporting him
- GOTV (Get Out the Vote): Reminding supporters when, where, and how to cast their ballots when election day is close
Each conversation helps us build a stronger movement by connecting neighborhoods to our campaign.
3. What You’ll Need
Please wear comfortable shoes, season-appropriate clothing (Talarico gear always encouraged!) and bring a bottle of water and a snack, just in case!
You will also want to download the MiniVAN app on your phone and create an Action ID (or log in if you already have one). This is where you will find the voters whose doors you will be knocking on. When you show up on the day of your block walk, your host will run through how the app functions, and how you will use it to map out your block walk route. If you would like a head start, feel free to check out our MiniVAN guide and watch this MiniVAN training video.
Your host will provide you with a script and some talking points for your reference. No need to know all of James’ policies. Just why you personally support him!
As part of the MiniVAN script, you’ll see the question “Can James count on your support in the March 3rd election?”, followed by the following options. Here’s how to decide which option to select:
- Strong Support: this person is absolutely a supporter of James. They say something like “yes, I’m voting for James,” “I support James for Senate”, or “Yes, you can count on me”
- Lean Support: this person is leaning towards supporting James, but has not 100% committed to voting for him. You’ll hear things like, “I’m leaning toward James,”, “I most likely will vote for him,” or “Yeah, I’ll probably support him.”
- Undecided: These folks really aren’t sure yet what candidate they’ll vote for. Listen for “I haven’t made up my mind yet, but I like James,” “James is great,” with no follow up, “I like James and other candidates, but I haven’t decided yet.”
- Lean Against/Other: this person is unlikely to support James. They say something like “I’m leaning towards opponent,” “I will probably vote for other candidate,” or “I don’t think I’ll support James, but I really like opponent.”
- Strong Against/Other: this person is very unlikely to support James. You’ll hear things like “I only vote Republican,” “I support opponent,” or “I will not be voting for James,”
4. Things to Remember
- Be enthusiastic and authentic! Making people care about James is more about your energy and enthusiasm than the words that you say.
- DO NOT enter anyone’s home for any reason. Safety is top priority. There is no reason to enter someone’s home.
- Respect peoples’ yards and property. Don’t touch their decorations or walk over their grass. If a home has a “no soliciting” sign, skip it.
- You may enter a gated community if the gate is open, but if it is closed, don’t struggle to find a way to open it. Canvassing is protected under the 1st Amendment Freedom of Speech, but remember that your actions as a canvasser reflect on the campaign as a whole.
- Record your conversations in MiniVAN. The data is crucial to let us know who to target for getting out the vote!
- Don’t drag it out. Keep the conversation to a reasonable amount of time. If you meet someone who is obviously opposed or is hostile, cut the conversation short, wish them a good day, and move along.
- Return to the meeting location 15 minutes before the end of the block walk for a debrief.
5. Staying Motivated
- Remember: many people won’t answer their doors, and many won’t be interested in talking! That’s normal. Sometimes it can take knocking on many doors to get to a good conversation. The wait is worth it!
- Celebrate each and every contact. It could be the one that wins us a vote!
- Every door you knock you make is part of a bigger team effort. Together, we’re aiming to reach millions of voters. Every conversation you have spreads the word about James!
Thank you for powering this campaign. The doors you knock today bring us closer to victory in March!