How to Canvass Apartment Buildings

Check access before the shift

Apartment access can involve election law, tenancy law, property rules, security procedures, and practical safety. The campaign should confirm the rules that apply in its jurisdiction and give volunteers a written process. Do not tell volunteers to follow residents through a locked door or argue with building staff.

Where appropriate, contact property management, a resident supporter, or the campaign’s legal resource before the shift. Record access notes so the next team does not repeat the same problem.

Fix the unit data

Apartment canvassing fails quickly when unit numbers are missing, duplicated, or stored in inconsistent formats. Review the voter file, household records, entrance addresses, tower names, and floor numbering before creating the list.

The canvasser view should display the unit first, then the voter names. A street address repeated across dozens of records is not useful inside the building.

Create routes that match the building

Divide a large property by floor, wing, tower, or another physical boundary. Confirm where volunteers enter, how they move between sections, and where they meet if they lose contact. Avoid sending too many people into a narrow hallway.

A building with reliable elevator access may move quickly. A building with several entrances, limited access, or long resident conversations may not. Use the campaign’s observed pace rather than a suburban door target.

Adapt the conversation

Hallways carry sound. Keep the opening quiet, short, and respectful. Do not announce a resident’s support status, voting plan, or personal information where neighbours can hear it. Step back from the door and leave a clear path.

If a resident asks the team not to continue in the hallway, record the concern and contact the shift lead rather than escalating.

Plan safety and accessibility

Use pairs or small teams where appropriate, especially for first-time volunteers or unfamiliar buildings. Confirm stair and elevator access, emergency exits, phone reception, and the check-in time. Do not require a volunteer to use stairs or enter a building they cannot access safely.

The shift lead should know which volunteers are in each building and when they have left.

A practical example

A campaign has records for 180 voters in a three-tower complex. The data lead standardizes tower and unit fields, the field lead confirms the current access rules, and the shift is divided into one route per tower. Each team has an experienced lead, a set return time, and instructions to keep voter information private in shared hallways.

Working checklist

• Confirm legal access and property procedures.
• Standardize tower, entrance, floor, and unit data.
• Create routes by physical building section.
• Brief volunteers on intercoms, security staff, elevators, stairs, and common spaces.
• Protect voter information in hallways and lobbies.
• Pair volunteers and set building check-in times.
• Record access problems for campaign follow-up.

Common mistakes

• Telling volunteers to slip through a controlled entrance.
• Using lists that hide or omit unit numbers.
• Sending a large crowd into one hallway.
• Discussing voter information loudly in common areas.
• Arguing with building staff instead of escalating through the campaign.

Sources and further reading

• National Democratic Institute — Voter Contact
• Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada — Guidance for political parties on protecting personal information

Election law, privacy, calling rules, voting methods, and campaign-finance requirements vary by jurisdiction and can change. Verify current requirements with the applicable election authority before acting.