Election campaigning is like sex – if you’re not enjoying it, you’re not doing it right. There are so many ways to campaign, there should be a role for everyone. A clever campaign manager will identify jobs for all, and create full employment in the campaign HQ.
The starting point is to recognise that people have different aptitudes, levels of commitment and time, and preferences for campaigning. Some people just love being out on the knocker – meeting voters and hearing their views. Others prefer the anonymity of the telephone or email. Some people are not very mobile, and prefer to stuff envelopes.
The only way to identify these differences is to conduct a skills audit. This should include questions about, for example, the types of activity people prefer and whether they have any special skills – can they design websites, or speak Urdu? What time of day would they prefer to campaign at (daytime, evenings, weekends)? Are they members of any local groups or networks? Do they have any campaigning experience?
The next stage is to identify what the barriers are to people campaigning. People may be reluctant to get involved for a variety of reasons. These might range from political disagreements with aspects of the Labour government’s policy to a lack of knowledge about what campaigning involves. For people who are disengaged because of policy differences, you might try to find an issue they feel comfortable campaigning for. Don’t assume a disgruntled member is a lost cause.
If the barrier is a lack of knowledge, it might be something as simple as not knowing where the campaign HQ is and how to get there. You should arrange a ‘buddy system’ for local members to support new activists by giving them lifts to and from the HQ and allaying their fears. One great fear is that people feel they have to give every spare moment of their time. You could try the One Hour Challenge. This involves asking for just one hour of their time between now and polling day. What you may find is that once the barrier is broken down by someone giving one hour, they may give far more on their own initiative.
The personal touch goes a long way. Use your local Labour MP, if you have one, to flatter and cajole local members into helping, especially if your local MP is a famous national figure. We are all susceptible to flattery and enjoy being asked to help. And after a spell of campaigning, remember to thank people by phone or by letter. A handwritten note from the candidate may inspire many hours more activism.
This campaign will be about local activity more than previous elections. Increasingly, it will be local networks of influence that will motivate people to get out and vote Labour. Trades unions, tenants and residents’ associations, regeneration partnerships, Sure Starts, New Deal for Communities, chambers of commerce, neighbourhood watch schemes, British Legions, pensioners’ forums, faith groups and others all have Labour-supporting activists on their boards or active within their ranks. These trusted and respected figures are the ones that local campaigns should be asking to identify and inspire other supporters. Campaigns need to be more lateral and not just follow the traditional top-down model.
Finally – don’t forget to have fun. Organise drinks, meals, and social events as part of the campaign calendar. Combine a morning’s canvassing with a coffee round at someone’s house. Do a deal with the local curry house for a Sunday buffet for activists who’ve been delivering leaflets. Arrange fundraising events which might actually be enjoyable: auctions, quizzes, trips to the cinema, wine tasting, book clubs, raffles, debates and guest speakers.
This election will be won by the party that mobilises its voters with values and policies. All we need to do is get the people who voted for us last time to vote for us this time. That’s all.