While Democrats largely avoided canvassing in 2020 , Republicans revved up their canvassing. For example, in Pennsylvania’s eight congressional district, the Republican candidate spoke proudly of their canvassing while the Democrat spoke equally proudly of not canvassing. The Republican candidate outperformed the polling average by 6.6%. The Democratic candidate won by just 3.6% while (Fivethirtyeight.com’s polling average showed the Democratic candidate winning by 10.2%)
We will never know how important the fact that Republicans canvassed while Democrats did not was. However, numerous studies have shown that canvassing increases voter turnout. Choosing not to canvass may well have been a costly decision.
Canvassing can be done safely and effectively during Covid-19. I recently canvassed for three days and collected 38 vote triplers (commitments to remind three friends to vote) complete with phone numbers.
In normal times, I prefer to have the voter fill out the vote tripler form (listing their phone number and the names of the three people they plan to remind) themselves, however I found that voters were just as willing to tell me verbally who they would vote for and to give me their phone number.
And so many people were home. I spoke to someone at nearly half of the doors that I knocked on. On a Monday no less. Indeed I collected 19 vote triplers with phone numbers that Monday. A personal record.
Canvassing without masks, as Republicans do, is irresponsible. We can be just as effective while being careful not to spread Covid-19.
Ken Stanley 