Party canvassers don’t change people’s opinions, but they do persuade them to vote

Party volunteers up and down the country (and especially in marginal seats) are pounding the streets campaigning on their party’s behalf. But what sort of effect, if any, do they really have? Charles Pattie, Ron Johnston and Todd Hartman show that while doorstep campaigning is unlikely to change people’s political opinions, it is particularly effective at persuading a party’s existing supporters to turn out to vote – especially if they are Lib Dems.