Lift Louisiana will launch an innovative door-knocking campaign to build support for abortion justice
Organizers around the country are turning to “deep canvassing”—an innovative technique that engages voters in candid, empathetic conversations to build lasting change on tough but important issues—and this year Lift Louisiana will join them.
What is “deep canvassing” and what does it have to do with the fight for reproductive freedom?
In a post-Roe world, investing in deep culture change is more important than ever.
Evidence shows that while traditional campaign tactics (think: standard door-knocking, TV and radio ads, direct mail) can effectively mobilize voters who already agree with you, they fall short in shifting public opinion, especially when it comes to complex issues like abortion.
The good news is this is what “deep canvassing” is all about—bridging gaps across differences by vulnerably connecting with voters on values and lived experiences. And rigorous research and success on the ground back it up. This approach is intensive and takes time. But deep canvassing has been used to garner support for same-sex marriage, transgender rights, police reform, and abortion access around the country.
One such deep canvassing program in Maine is proven to increase support for pro-reproductive rights policies, motivate supporters to become activists, and increase voter engagement, according to a 2018 study.
Why try deep canvassing in Louisiana?
The political climate in Louisiana is extremely challenging. We have some of the severest abortion restrictions in the country and we don’t have many policy levers at our disposal.
Anti-abortion politicians control the governor’s office and the state house. The current “trigger” law actually passed with bipartisan support from more than 70% of legislators. And in 2020 (importantly, before Roe fell), voters passed a constitutional amendment that declares that there can be no right to an abortion found within the Louisiana Constitution.
This all sounds pretty bleak. That is until you look at what Louisianans currently believe.
While we don’t have robust data on public opinion on abortion in Louisiana, an annual LSU survey shows support has grown in the past six years. Even more recent polling by JMC Analytics reports that most people in Louisiana want more access to abortion in state law. It also reveals that once you get past the “pro-life” label, voters’ opinions on abortion are not so black and white.
This gives us an opening to affect change.
That’s why Lift is launching this campaign and going directly to the people. We believe that by having one-on-one conversations we can help voters understand their abortion attitudes in a deeper way. Building empathy, shifting opinion, and making reproductive healthcare more accessible in Louisiana is possible, and we must invest in such work now.
Building empathy, shifting opinion, and making reproductive healthcare more accessible in Louisiana is possible, and we must start now.
OK, but how does deep canvassing actually work?
Take everything you know about traditional canvassing, or door-knocking, and flip the script.
Rather than focusing on facts, tight scripts, and the number of doors knocked, deep canvassing prioritizes meaningful (or “deeper”) conversations with voters. That means more fluid scripts that encourage open-ended questions, active listening, and the mutual sharing of feelings and experiences.
By connecting through conversations, deep canvassing can humanize, bring the heat down, and find common ground on politicized issues.
Here’s a video of deep canvassing in action.
Great, so what’s Lift’s plan?
Lift will launch a deep canvassing pilot over six months, with goals to:
Deepen understanding of public opinion on abortion
Direct voters to reliable sources of information and combat health misinformation
Engage a larger group of voters in honest, empathetic conversations about abortion
Activate supporters
We’re currently hiring for a field organizer. Help us spread the word!
By Alyson Neel