Is election literature junk mail?

lambethlife Fri May 02, 2008 at 10:53:13 AM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Like, I imagine, most people on this site I have been pounding the streets for the past few weeks delivering election leaflets etc.

 




I have always hesitated over whether to put leaflets into the letterboxes marked "No Junk Mail" or similar wondering whether the householder would consider election information to be junk mail.

 
In most cases I have however persisted and delivered the leaflets etc justifying it to myself somewhat pompously as providing information to aid the democratic process but then I worry that I have antagonised the household.

 

What do others think - is it junk mail?

 

Is the risk of the anger of householders worth it if it spreads  our message?

 

How effective is election literature in changing minds? 



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Is election literature junk mail? | 10 comments (10 topical)

Re: Is election literature junk mail? (#1)

by treborc on Fri May 02, 2008 at 11:25:12 AM GMT

Well yes it is unless it's tells the facts, most of the rubbish coming through my letter box from politicians are bull to be honest.


Re: Is election literature junk mail? (#2)

by CitizenAndreas on Fri May 02, 2008 at 12:50:16 PM GMT

I tend not to consider election leaflets junk mail, I generally get bombarded with 4 or 5 commercial leaflets a week and I think that this is what the stickers are there to prevent.


Re: Is election literature junk mail? (#3)

by swatantra on Fri May 02, 2008 at 01:05:29 PM GMT

Generally yes. Most people would not read the leaflets we drop through doors. Unfortunately there is no other better way of communicating universally to the people out there. What we have to get out of is the mentallity of how many leaflets we've managed to get out on the day. 'Old' hands still think performance is directly related to the volume of leaflets we deluge people with. There are other and better ways you know.


[ Parent ]

Re: Is election literature junk mail? (#4)

by Josh FG on Fri May 02, 2008 at 01:30:28 PM GMT

I think much of it is psychological and a way of expending nervous energy on election day. I don't put anything through doors which say no canvassers but other than that I feel I'm offering a democratic service!


[ Parent ]

Re: Is election literature junk mail? (#5)

by Prbo on Fri May 02, 2008 at 02:04:00 PM GMT

Where is Labourhome's election results rolling blog/thread?


Re: Is election literature junk mail? (#6)

by NorthernMonkey on Fri May 02, 2008 at 05:32:27 PM GMT

I don't think we want one to be honest!


[ Parent ]

Re: Is election literature junk mail? (#7)

by Prbo on Fri May 02, 2008 at 05:39:41 PM GMT

Commendably honest, but unfortunately it's what sets out Tory sites like Iain Dale and ConHome from the rest.  I'm sure you'll have one up and running come the General Election.


[ Parent ]

Re: Is election literature junk mail? (#8)

by shadwelltowers on Sat May 03, 2008 at 08:19:34 AM GMT

Election literature certainly is junk mail. People get irritated by it. Partly because they worry about things like wasted paper, environmental impact, campaign funds down the drain… But I think more than that people consider it junk because of the quality of the literature we put out. It is often appalling and embarrassing. Cheaply produced, bad spelling, bad grammar, head-bangingly meaningless platitudes and massaged statistics.
 
In any case, precious few people (apart from the opposition) read our bumf. The journey from the voter’s letterbox to their dustbin is one of the shortest, most frequent in political life.

Elections are won and lost by air war - what's on telly and what's in the papers and what that means for conversations down the pub or over a cup of tea at work. It's all about the prevailing mood. Leafleting on the ground is something we do because it makes us feel useful and, much like the 'to buy or not to buy' debate over billboard posters, we (erroneously) feel that our opponents might be getting a campaigning edge over us if don't follow suit.


Re: Is election literature junk mail? (#9)

by MatthewStiles on Sat May 03, 2008 at 10:32:55 AM GMT

You could consider it a message from the candidate to the electorate.  It's hardly in the same league as a mailshot offering a timeshare apartment by the Med. So it could be that the person with no junk mail on their door won't mind.  Anyway, on my leaflet rounds all households get a leaflet. I wonder what Margaret McDonagh would say?


Re: Is election literature junk mail? (#10)

by AlanJi on Sat May 03, 2008 at 05:26:41 PM GMT

A better question would be: are we delivering it to the people we want to reach? There's not much point delivering to people who never vote or to addresses where there are no voters! Even if your canvass returns are not very recent you can deliver to
1) People who went to the Polling Station at the most recent comparable election (Easily identified in Contactg Creator), or
2) those peole, plus postal voters, plus new to the register (More elaborate to identify from Contact creator, but it can be done).


Is election literature junk mail? | 10 comments (10 topical)