Door-to-door canvassing guide for Kenyan campaigns

In short: Plan canvassing ward by ward with clear routes, send volunteers in pairs with a short script and a simple form, listen more than you talk, record what you learn the same day — who you met, the issues raised and whether they agreed to be contacted — and use those records to decide where to go next.

Why canvass

Rallies reach crowds; canvassing reaches households. A short conversation at the door or at a shop front builds a personal connection, surfaces the issues people care about, and identifies supporters and potential volunteers.

Its second value is information. If every visit is recorded, the campaign learns which areas have been reached, what people are saying and where to send the candidate.

Plan the ward

• Divide each ward into areas a pair can cover in a session — by village, estate, sub-location or around each polling centre.
• Set a realistic target per session.
• Choose times when people are home: evenings and weekends in residential areas, market days in rural centres.
• Tell local leaders in advance where appropriate.
• Keep a map showing which areas have been visited.

Prepare the team

• Canvass in pairs, never alone.
• Brief the team: the candidate’s key messages, the questions to ask and the answers to common questions.
• Identify the team clearly as the campaign’s.
• Give every canvasser the coordinator’s number and a clear finish time.

A simple script

1. Greet respectfully, introduce yourself and the candidate.
2. Ask what matters most to them and their family in this area.
3. Listen, and note the issues they raise.
4. Share one or two relevant points from the candidate’s plan.
5. Ask if they would like to receive updates from the campaign, and record their answer.
6. Ask whether they would like to volunteer.
7. Thank them, whatever their view.

Use the language people are most comfortable in, and keep it short. A good visit takes a few minutes.

What to record

• Area or polling centre, date and canvassers.
• Whether you spoke with someone.
• The issues raised.
• Whether they agreed to be contacted, and their phone number if so.
• Interest in volunteering.
• Any follow-up the campaign promised.

Record the visit the same day — ideally on a phone form that works offline and syncs later. Paper forms left in a bag for a week are a lost week.

Respect and safety

• Respect people who do not want to talk. Thank them and move on.
• Never argue, threaten or pressure anyone.
• Do not collect information you do not need.
• Do not canvass after dark in unfamiliar areas.
• Report any incident to the coordinator immediately.

Using the results

• Map which areas were reached and which were not, and plan the next sessions.
• Group the issues raised by ward to shape the candidate’s messages and visits.
• Follow up with people who asked for information or offered to volunteer.
• Message only the people who agreed to be contacted.

Frequently asked questions

Is door-to-door canvassing still effective in Kenya?

Personal contact remains one of the strongest ways to reach voters and to learn what they care about. Its value multiplies when the campaign records each visit and uses the information.

Can we message people we met while canvassing?

Only if they agreed to be contacted. Record their consent at the door; the Communications Authority of Kenya’s rules and the Data Protection Act both expect it.

How many canvassers do we need?

Work backwards from your plan: how many areas per ward, how many sessions per week, and how many pairs that takes. Start small, measure, then scale.