Host guide

How to host a Ground Truth high-traffic canvass

Thank you for organizing a high-traffic canvass with Ground Truth! Winning back power for Democrats starts with face-to-face conversations. We know we can’t reach every voter by knocking on doors or making calls alone. Meeting voters where they are—in busy areas or at community events—is an effective way to reach voters you would not otherwise reach. 

What are we talking to voters about?

Thank you for organizing a high-traffic canvass with Ground Truth! Winning back power for Democrats starts with face-to-face conversations. We know we can’t reach every voter by knocking on doors or making calls alone. Meeting voters where they are—in busy areas or at community events—is an effective way to reach voters you would not otherwise reach. 

You can recruit volunteers or provide voter registration information during a Ground Truth canvass, but that’s not our main focus. If you’re looking to use high-traffic canvassing to recruit volunteers or register voters in general, without using Ground Truth’s approach, app, or script, visit this guide instead.

Getting started

• Choose where you’d like to high-traffic canvass. Pick a location in a Swing Left target House or Senate district. Think about places where you might find a high concentration of voters who might be hard to reach otherwise:

  • State or county fairs that draw from rural areas in the target district or state.

  • Locations in heavily Democratic but low turnout areas. Think about neighborhoods that are often inaccessible to door-to-door canvassers due to locked apartment complexes, young/transient populations, and/or home to immigrant communities that might be fearful of opening their door. Meet people when they’re out and about, like outside of laundromats, grocery stores, libraries, etc.

  • College campuses that might have a lot of new or non-voters.

Need help deciding where to go? Reach out to your Swing Left contact or email host@swingleft.org if you need to get connected.

Preparing to host

• Required:Fill out this high-traffic canvass request form at least 10 days prior to your event. This ensures we’ll set up the People App for your event. 

• Recruit volunteers to high-traffic canvass with you. 

  • Whether you’re heading to a busy area or staffing a table at a community event, gather folks to help you. Consider the space and duration to determine how many volunteers you need. 

  • Optional: You are welcome to post your event on Mobilize (modifying this template to reflect your Ground Truth event). Keep in mind that you might need to cap the number of canvassers if the venue has limited space. While Mobilize is a great way to spread the word, the functionality to slot people into shifts is limited, so you might choose to keep track of volunteers another way.

• Gather your materials:

  • Printing: View this folder for all printable materials. 

    • A script for each volunteer that they can put on their clipboard. 

    • Backup notetaking templates for folks to take notes during the conversation; canvassers might prefer their own scratch paper or legal pad.

  • Bring pens and clipboards for your canvassers.

  • We highly recommend providing sticker nametags for volunteers. You can print Ground Truth-branded stickers on Avery labels, or keep it simple with plain nametags.

  • Consider providing snacks and water as well!

• If your setup includes a table: Consider how to create an inviting visual presence that sparks curiosity. Utilizing engaging elements like interactive games or eye-catching signage can encourage passersby to approach and start a conversation with you. Below are a few ideas – but remember, the sky is the limit! Our goal here is to remind people that we are here to listen and open to hearing their perspectives. Avoid anything overly focused on one specific issue, candidate, or party.

  • We’re Here to Listen" Signage: Sometimes the best hook is clarity. Use signage that says, "We aren't here to ask for a vote, money, or a signature—we’re here to listen to your perspective on the country." This immediately lowers the defenses people often have toward canvassers.

  • The "Advice" Hook: Flip the script. Instead of asking them to answer a question for you, ask them to give advice to the country. A sign that asks, "What’s one piece of advice you’d give to our political leaders?" can be incredibly magnetic.

  • Interactive, Non-Political Games: Set up a giant Jenga tower, a cornhole set, or a simple "guess the number of items in the jar" challenge. While people are playing, you have a natural, casual window to ask, "So, while you're here—how are you feeling about the state of things in the country lately?"

  • The "Visual Ballot" Hook: Use two clear containers and items like marbles or candy for a simple demonstration. Set up a display asking people to "vote" on whether the country is going in the right direction or on the wrong track. This interactive element acts as a magnet, allowing you to transition into deep listening without a formal introduction.

Preparing your volunteers

• In advance, share the “Know Before You Go” High-Traffic Canvassing Guide with volunteers who are joining you. This guide includes a checklist of what to bring, plus tips and tricks for talking to voters. You can download a PDF version to print or email them (File -> Download -> PDF Document). Be sure to at least share these canvassing basics with your volunteers:

  • Be friendly and conversational. Be the kind of person you’d want to stop and talk to! Remember your main role is to listen, ask open-ended questions, and lean into curiosity—not judgment.

  • A reminder on the hook: The goal isn't to get people to stop and take something, but to share something. Avoid "Do you have a minute?" and instead try:

    • "We’re trying to understand how people in our community are feeling about the country right now—what’s on your mind?"

    • "We're looking for perspectives from folks like you—would you be open to sharing your take on how things are going?"

  • Capture accurate data. Ground Truth relies on detailed notes that a campaign or volunteer can follow up on in the future. Capturing the voter’s feelings, what they’re conflicted about and why, and how they might make their decision is key—plus at least one piece of contact information so we can reach them. 

  • Don’t worry about being perfect! If you are new to canvassing, don’t be afraid to say it’s your first time—there’s nothing wrong with making it clear that you aren’t a professional. We do this work because we believe in the cause and there is no message more powerful that we can send to voters.

  • Set realistic expectations. Don’t get discouraged if you struggle to get folks to stop and talk. You may have conversations with 3-6 people while you are canvassing. That is OK—it may feel slow, but you’re making a critical difference.

• On the day of the canvass:

  • Use this on-site training script to prep volunteers before you start your shift. Leave about 30 minutes to go over the materials, practice using the app, and get comfortable. 

    • If canvassers will arrive on a rolling basis for set shifts, consider hosting a Zoom training in advance for everyone so you can train everyone at the same time, or be prepared to go over things with them individually when they arrive. 

  • Create space to share learnings and best practices. If time permits, schedule a break in the middle of the shift for a quick huddle. Have volunteers share what has been working, what hasn’t been working, any “hacks” they’ve found – before heading out for the second half of the shift.

After canvassing

• Make sure everyone has entered their data: If any canvassers were taking paper notes rather than using the People App, ask everyone to finish entering data into the app.

• Debrief the high-traffic canvassing experience. What worked well? What do you want to do better next time?

• Make another plan. This is an opportunity to check in about what’s coming up next and when you can all high-traffic canvass again. Make a plan to check-in soon if you don’t have something on the calendar.

• Show everyone what Swing Left looks like! Share a group pic, video or anecdote from your event on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook (or all three)! Tag @SwingLeft and use the hashtag #SwingLeft to help Swing Left retweet/repost! Important note: Since you are talking with private citizens, please make sure to obscure or cover names, emails, and any other personal data in your photos.