Five Reasons to Use Paid Field in Your Campaign

When running a political campaign, every dollar spent should work to maximize your impact—whether through voter outreach, persuasion, or turnout efforts. Paid field programs, especially door-to-door canvassing, offer a powerful tool to achieve your campaign’s goals. Here are five reasons why investing in paid field operations can make the difference in your race:

1. Expanding Your Voter ID Program

Door-to-door canvassing is not just about persuasion or turnout; it’s also an unparalleled tool for data collection. Paid canvassers can systematically gather supporter information that helps campaigns map out their districts with precision. This data reveals where your campaign is thriving and where it may face challenges, enabling targeted strategies to shore up weak areas. Additionally, identifying undecided voters allows campaigns to craft micro-targeted digital and media strategies that can tip the scales in close races.

2. Maximizing GOTV Operations

Getting out the vote (GOTV) is the backbone of any campaign, and face-to-face canvassing has proven to be one of the most effective methods. Research by Gerber and Green shows that door-to-door canvassing can increase voter turnout by an impressive 8.7 percentage points. Paid canvassers bring consistency and reliability to GOTV operations, ensuring that your message reaches voters who are critical to victory—especially in the crucial final weeks of the campaign.

3. Ensuring Low-Propensity Voter Turnout

Engaging low-propensity voters often requires a unique approach, and paid canvassing excels in this area. Communities of color, non-English speakers, and people living in poverty—whether urban or rural—are frequently overlooked by traditional volunteer-led efforts. Paid field operations ensure that these populations are engaged effectively, helping campaigns reach voters who are often left out of the process but who can play a decisive role in close elections.

4. Persuading Voters in Primary and Special Elections

When it comes to persuasion, paid canvassers offer the consistency and professionalism needed to shift voter preferences—a critical factor in primary and special elections. In the 2015 Philadelphia mayoral primary, for example, a canvassing effort conducted six weeks before election day boosted support for the endorsed candidate by an astounding 11 points. This kind of impact demonstrates the power of door-to-door canvassing to move the needle when it matters most.

5. Harnessing the Power of Deep Persuasion

Deep canvassing, an innovative approach that emphasizes non-judgmental narrative exchange, is an effective strategy for fostering durable attitude change on divisive issues. Research by Kalla and Broockman in 2020 demonstrated how deep canvassing reduced exclusionary attitudes toward marginalized groups, such as unauthorized immigrants and transgender individuals. By building empathy and breaking down resistance, deep canvassing allows campaigns to engage voters on contentious topics with lasting results.

Conclusion

Paid field programs bring unparalleled advantages to campaigns, from data collection and voter identification to persuasion and turnout efforts. In an increasingly competitive political landscape, investing in professional, well-organized field operations can help your campaign rise above the noise and achieve its goals. Whether you’re running a primary, general, or special election, paid canvassing ensures that your outreach efforts are effective, targeted, and impactful.