Knock knock.

Who害羞草研究所檚 there?

It害羞草研究所檚 your local candidate for parliament 害羞草研究所� and according to the experts, it害羞草研究所檚 no joke.

As electoral campaigns and platforms continue to adapt to the digital age, politicians and experts agree that traditional face-to-face interaction through door knocking is here to stay.

害羞草研究所淧ersonal contact is still the best way to reach people,害羞草研究所� said Maxime H茅roux-Legault, assistant professor in the department of economics, philosophy and political science at UBC Okanagan.

害羞草研究所淥n social media, you害羞草研究所檒l see ads, and you害羞草研究所檙e going to see news articles. It害羞草研究所檚 not the same thing as meeting the candidate.害羞草研究所�

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H茅roux-Legault said door-knocking boils down to three primary purposes 害羞草研究所� persuasion, motivation and information.

害羞草研究所淭he motivation aspect of door-knocking needs to be taken into account,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淧arties are not trying to gain new voters but motivate their voters to turn out on voting day.害羞草研究所�

The informational component pertains to candidates providing details surrounding voter registration and where local polling stations are, which also helps to increase turnout on election day.

Somebody who has had immense experience with door-knocking is local NDP volunteer, Maria Tokarchuk. She害羞草研究所檚 been volunteering in various capacities with both the provincial and federal NDP on a local level since 1991.

In her view, what has changed most over the past 30 years are peoples害羞草研究所� schedules.

害羞草研究所淢ore people used to be at home and would answer the door,害羞草研究所� said Tokarchuk with a slight chuckle.

害羞草研究所淲e try to go in the evenings between 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., especially during the week. Probably half of the people are home.害羞草研究所�

Tokarchuk said it害羞草研究所檚 been even more noticeable when trying to reach people by phone.

害羞草研究所淲hen you phone people, they don害羞草研究所檛 answer the phone,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淲hen you害羞草研究所檙e at the door, people can look out the window and see you as a person, but on the phone, if they don害羞草研究所檛 recognize the number, they don害羞草研究所檛 pick it up.害羞草研究所�

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Some local candidates share similar sentiments.

害羞草研究所淔ace-to-face is always the best way to do anything,害羞草研究所� said Liberal Party candidate Stephen Fuhr.

害羞草研究所淚n the 21st century, there are other options out there and they also bring different pros and cons.害羞草研究所�

Fuhr said while door-knocking is very useful, it害羞草研究所檚 also very labour intensive and you can害羞草研究所檛 connect with the same volume of people as you can through digital channels.

害羞草研究所淣owadays, I think its a good healthy combination of both face-to-face and interaction on social media,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淨uality interaction is important but you also need reach. Social media can help you with that.害羞草研究所�

Conservative candidate Tracy Gray balances her approach, but added in the past four months she has door-knocked a distance equivalent to walking to Calgary and back.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 all about connecting with people where they are. It害羞草研究所檚 an especially important way to engage with retirees and seniors.害羞草研究所�

michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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