Creating Targets and Packets

Using the Walk-Mapping feature, campaigns can create Walk Targets based on demographics, voting history, or any combination of the different filters that webElect provides. For more information, check out the Targeting Voters video . These Targets can then be broken down into individual packets using our Google Maps integrated system. When creating the packets, the different homes are shown on a map and can broken up by neighborhood, precinct, or custom region. For a step-by-step tutorial on how to complete the process, see the Creating Walk Packets video .

Identify gated neighborhoods

With webElect's walk-mapping system you can identiy gated neighborhoods for canvassing and mailing purposes. For more information and step-by-step instructions on how this works, check out our Targeting Gated Communities page.

Auto remove already voteds

If you navigate to the Walk Target Edit screen (from the main menu, select "Project Administration" and then select "Edit" next to the desired Target) you can turn on the walk target's option to auto-remove already voted and we will remove any non-walked voters that have voted as we process each day's VBM and Early Voted lists. Note that this option only works for state election dates. For more information and a video demonstration, see our documentation on removing voters who have already cast a ballot.

Canvassing with the Mobile App

The webElect Mobile App gives a campaign the ability to identify targeted voters/households on a map, review information about voters while walking up to knock on a door, and record information obtained in a canvassing conversation all from the convenience of a mobile device while out in the field.

For more info on the Mobile App, see the pages on Canvassing with the Mobile App and Setting up the Mobile App . 

If you have lower level users that you would like to give more access to walk projects while still keeping the main project settings and more important functions restricted to only administrators, see the Limited Access Users page. 

Activity Reports

Activity Reports include tables and data on walkers' productivityand the ability to see the data in graph format. The Activity Reports include the ability to view maps of the routes that walkers have taken and monitor progress and speed, allowing for effective walker management and quality control.

For more information, see our page on Activity Reports

For info on sharing walk data directly with the GOP, see our GOP Data Sharing page.

Videos

Creating the Walk Target and setting app options on the website:
http://youtu.be/oTznvwjcsG8

Using the mobile app to walk the Target:
http://webelect.net/pub/docs/show/canvassing-with-the-mobile-app

Removing voters who have already cast a ballot from the Walk Target:
http://webelect.net/pub/docs/show/remove-already-voted

Overview PDF

This document contains an overview of how the module works:
Walk/Canvassing Action List Overview PDF

Tips

For most campaigns, you will likely be planning to walk your district once, or possibly a couple times. We recommend creating a Walk Action List (AKA Walk Target, Walk Project) for each purpose of the walk, not for each time you go out walking. For instance, let's say the campaign starts early and plans to walk the district twice before a primary election. Once to introduce the candidate and gather petitions, and a second time closer to the election to further promote the candidate and push yard signs. In this case , the campaign will end up with only 2 action lists: "Petition Drive" and "Primary Push".

This allows the campaign to see the progress of their canvassing efforts on a single map and makes sure you do not end up double-walking any houses. We also recommend only saving enough precincts to the Action List that you think you will be able to walk in the immediate future. Then add more precincts to your Action List as you need them. This makes sure you are using "fresh" data to create your new walk targets and also allows you to tune your criteria with each new addition as you determine what works.

To continue our example, when the campaign does the very first walk, they plan to start in precinct 610. The user pulls a target for precinct 610, then saves it to the Walk Action List and creates a new list called "Petition Drive". Now the user goes in and creates 4 walk packets as that is all they will walk in the next week.

The following week, the campaign wants to walk some more houses in precinct 610. Since these are now stored in the Petition Drive Action List, the user simply clicks the Walk/Canvassing Action List link on the Main Menu, then Petition Drive, then Map and creates some new walk packets of the "un-packeted" houses, completing all of precinct 610.

The 3rd week, the campaign wants to hit precinct 578, but also wants to expand the selection to include more houses. They pull the target and save it to the existing Petition Drive action list. This way they can see the progress of walking the district, which now includes 2 precincts. By using the mobile app or scanning the walk lists back into the Action Lists barcode feature, the map markers change to grey as they have been walked.

This process is repeated until the campaign has finished the Petition Drive walk across the entire district.

4 months later, the campaign wants to start the "Primary Push" walk across the district. They repeat the process as above, but this time saving everything to a new action list called "Primary Push".

Packet Tips

• While packets can only be assigned to a single user, walkers can walk as partners or as a team.  The assigned walker can provide the Packet ID number to others who can enter the ID on the first page of the mobile walk page.  That way each member can access the packet and their activity is logged as the proper user.
• When doing large walking events, we recommend printing packets.  Walkers can then grab a printed packet and enter the Packet ID from the header of the packet to access the packet in the app.  This also acts as a technology failsafe in cases where something goes wrong with a device/connection/service etc and you do not lose the volunteer's time.
• When creating packets, be sure to include only houses that are contiguous. For instance, if neighborhoods back up to each other 2 markers may appear to be close when in actuality they can not be easily accessed togehter. Hover your mouse cursor over any questionable markers when creating your packets to verify the address.