Why candidates still knock on doors asking for support
CBC
The heat of an unseasonably warm May afternoon isn't stopping Searle Turton from running door to door in the Willow Park neighbourhood of Stony Plain.
The UCP candidate for Spruce Grove-Stony Plain is clad in shorts and a T-shirt, carrying a stack of campaign flyers in a bag with a strap that crosses his torso.
Turton bounds up another doorstep as his volunteers keep track of each address using a smartphone app.
The candidate introduces himself and makes his pitch.
"I'm just out and about saying hi to yourself and the rest of the neighbours and seeing if perhaps I can count on your support in the upcoming election here this spring?"
The man says Turton has his vote.
"Thank you so much," the candidate replies. "Take care!"
As he runs down the driveway, Turton calls out an update to his volunteers.
"Supporters," he says.
Although the campaign officially started on May 1, candidates from all parties and all areas of the province have been knocking on doors for months in advance of the fixed May 29 election date.
Willow Park is where Turton and his volunteers first started canvassing in January. He's now starting his second round of door-knocking in hopes of finding people he missed.
"I love door-knocking. I love chatting with people at their doorstops," Turton said.
"For many individuals, the only time they actually come face to face with their elected officials or candidate is at their door."
Door-knocking isn't just a way to get out a candidate's message — it also helps campaigns locate their supporters and add them to their database. Volunteers tap into this crucial information as election day approaches. They call supporters to ask whether they've voted, if they plan to vote and where.