This guide walks through how to create and configure a door-to-door canvass in Vottiv.
This process is completed from the Vottiv website and should be done before canvassers arrive.

Note: Onboarding canvassers is covered in a separate guide.

Step 1: Navigate to the Canvassing Section

You can access canvassing in either of the following ways:

Click Door-to-Door Canvassing, or
Go to Contacts and select Canvassing

Both options take you to the same canvassing dashboard.

Step 2: Review the Canvassing Dashboard

From the canvassing dashboard, you can:

View active canvasses
Access archived canvasses
Review requests submitted by canvassers (such as voter requests)
View canvasser activity
Export canvass data

To create a new canvass, click Create canvass in the top-right corner.

Step 3: Select a Group to Canvass

You’ll be prompted to choose the group you want to canvass.

Select an existing group, or
Create a new group if one does not already exist

Once selected, click Create canvass.

Step 4: Name the Canvass

Enter a name for your canvass.
This name will be visible internally and to canvassers.

Step 5: Choose the Purpose of the Canvass

Next, select what canvassers will be able to do at the door. You can enable one or more of the following options:

Determine support
Add tags to voters
Collect signatures
Register voters
Survey voters
- Create a new survey or link an existing survey
Distribute information (such as door hangers)
Verify or update voter information
Add a custom link
- For example, directing voters to a specific website with a custom button label

For this walkthrough, the example selects Determine support.

Once selected, click Next.

Step 6: (Optional) Set Up Canvass Triggers

Canvass triggers allow you to automatically take actions based on canvassing results.

For example:

When a voter is marked as a supporter
Send an SMS message
Schedule the message for a specific time (e.g., two weeks before Election Day)

Triggers can include different actions and timing options depending on your campaign needs.

Triggers are optional. You can skip this step and continue without setting any.

Click Next to continue.

Step 7: Add Instructions for Canvassers

You can include instructions that canvassers will see when they begin the canvass.

Examples:

Be polite
Don’t forget to smile
Introduce yourself

These instructions help set expectations and provide guidance in the field.

Once complete, click Next.

Step 8: Configure Route Strategy

Choose how you want to divide your voter list into walkable routes. You can select between Optimized Routes, Precinct Routes, or Manual Routes.

Option 1: Optimized Routes (Default)

This option automatically divides your turf into walk-sized routes based on household count and location. Boundary lines are drawn on the map to show route limits.

Use Optimized Routes when:

You want evenly-sized walk lists
Route size matters for planning
You prefer geographic clustering

If you select Optimized Routes, you must choose a Walk List Size:

50 households
Up to 1,000 households

Smaller groups typically work best with smaller walk lists.

Option 2: Precinct Routes

This option groups all voters by their precinct name, creating one route per precinct regardless of size. Address markers appear on the map without boundary lines.

Use Precinct Routes when:

Your team is organized by precinct
You need to match existing precinct captain assignments
Reporting by precinct is important

Note: The walk list size selector is hidden for Precinct Routes because precinct boundaries determine the route size.

Option 3: Manual Routes

This option allows you to draw your own custom canvass routes directly on a full-screen map. This gives you complete control over how your canvassing territories are organized.

Use Manual Routes when:

You have specific geographic boundaries in mind
You want to carve out specific neighborhoods for specific volunteers
You need to ensure routes do not overlap in complex areas

Select your preferred option and click Next.

Step 9: Create the Canvass

Click Create canvass to proceed.

If you selected Optimized or Precinct routes, your canvass is now ready.
If you selected Manual Routes, you will be taken to a full-screen map to draw your routes (see below).

Drawing Manual Routes

If you selected the Manual Routes option, follow these steps to define your territories:

On the full-screen map, click Draw New Route.
Click on the map to create boundary points. Click your starting point again to close the shape.
Give your route a name and click Create Route.
Repeat this process for as many routes as you need.
Click Done Drawing Routes when finished.

Key Features:

Real-time household count: See exactly how many households are in your drawn area as you draw.
Overlap prevention: The system will warn you if a new route intersects with an existing one.
Visual feedback: Households already assigned to routes appear faded.
Route limits: Routes must contain between 1 and 10,000 households.

Step 10: Add Canvassers to Your Canvass

Once your canvass has been created, the next step is adding canvassers so they can begin knocking doors.

There are two ways to add canvassers:

Option 1: Invite Directly from the Canvass

Once you've navigated to the canvassing page, you can:

Click Invite on the canvass you created.
A pop-up window will appear.

From this window, you can:

Copy the invitation link and send it directly to your canvassers, or
Download the QR code for canvassers to scan in person.

After receiving the link or scanning the QR code, canvassers will:

Add Vottiv Canvasser to their homescreen.
Enter the 6-digit canvass code shown in the Invite pop-up

Once entered, they will be connected to the correct canvass and can begin working their assigned routes.

Option 2: Add Canvassers from Your Team

You can also manually add canvassers from your account:

Click Your Team from the left-hand menu.
Select Add New.
Enter the canvasser’s email address.
Enable permission to Canvass.
Click Send Invite.

Once added, the canvasser will have access based on the permissions you assigned.

You’re Ready to Launch

With your canvass created and your team added, you’re ready to begin door-to-door outreach.