Canvassing is easy with Numinar! The first step for any canvassing project is creating a canvassing list: the voters your volunteers will knock on.
đĄ Every outreach project in Numinar follows the same three steps: Lists â Messages â Projects. Your list is who you're reaching, your survey is what you'll ask, and the project brings them together.
Step 1: Go to Lists and click New List
In the left menu, click Lists (1), then click New List (2).
Step 2: Name your list
Give your list a name (1) and click Create List (2). Be intentional with your naming, like "Precinct 12 Walk List", so it's easy to find later.
Step 3: Click Add Filter
You're now in the list builder. Click Add Filter to start choosing which voters belong on your list.
Step 4: Choose a category and a filter
Pick a category on the left (1), like Demographic, Political, or Geography. Then click Add next to the filter you want (2). Here we picked Political, then Modeled Party. You can also type in Search filters to find one quickly.
Step 5: Select the values to include
Click each value you want on your list. Selected values turn green, and the number above each value shows how many voters it includes. In this example, we're targeting Strong GOP voters.
Step 6: Add more filters
Click Add Filter again to narrow your list further. Here we added 2024 General from the Turnout category and picked Did not Vote, to find Strong GOP voters who skipped the last election.
The word between your filters controls how they combine. Click it to switch between and (voters must match both filters) and or (voters can match either one).
Step 7 (optional): Group filters together
Click Add Filter Group to bundle several filters together. A group lets you mix and and or logic for very specific lists, like "Strong GOP and (did not vote in 2024 or permanent absentee)". Click Add Filter inside the group to add filters to it.
Step 8: Refresh your counts and click Save
Click Refresh Counts (1) to see how many voters and households are on your list, then click Save (2). Always remember to save!
Split your list into walk books with geofences
Geofences are areas you draw on the map. Each geofence becomes its own canvassing project, so they work like walk books for your volunteers. Prefer precincts? Skip this section, and you can split your project by precinct when you create it.
âď¸ Keep each geofence under 10,000 voters. If any geofence is over the limit, Numinar shows a warning at the top of the map, so check each geofence's count to find it. We highly recommend geofencing canvassing lists, but not calling or texting lists unless you want to target a specific area.
Step 9: Click Map
At the top of your list, click Map. Your voters show up as dots on the map.
Step 10: Draw your geofences
Zoom into the area you want to canvass. Click the polygon tool in the top left of the map (1), then click around the area to draw your geofence. Click your starting point to finish the shape. Draw as many geofences as you need. Check out this video on geofencing for a walkthrough. Each one shows its name and voter count.
To delete a geofence, select it and click the trash button (2). To rename one, click its name on the map.
Step 11: Click Save
Click Save at the top of the page. Your list is ready! Next, create your canvassing survey.
đŹ Frequently Asked Questions
How do I view my canvassing list?
How do I view my canvassing list?
Your volunteers see the list in the Numinar mobile app once the project is created. First build the list, then the survey, and finally the project.
How do I know how many households vs. individual voters are on my list?
How do I know how many households vs. individual voters are on my list?
After adding your filters, click Refresh Counts. You'll see the number of Voters and Households at the top of the list. On the Map tab, the gear icon lets you show geofence counts as voters or households.
Can I create a paper walk list for volunteers who prefer that?
Can I create a paper walk list for volunteers who prefer that?
Yes! See How to Create a Paper Walk List.
Can I target Permanent Absentee voters?
Can I target Permanent Absentee voters?
Yes! There's a Permanent Absentee filter in the Turnout category, which makes absentee outreach easier than ever.