How to Schedule Canvass Shifts

Shifts are the building blocks of your canvassing program. Schedule regular shifts to keep momentum and make it easy for volunteers to participate.

The Shift Scheduler calendar with upcoming canvass shifts

What you'll need

• Admin or Manager role on the campaign

• At least one turf created

• A staging/meeting location

Creating a Shift

Open Shift Scheduler

Go to Field → Shifts in the sidebar.

Click Create Shift

Click Create Shift to open the shift form.

Set Date and Time

Choose when the shift will occur:

• Date - Which day

• Start Time - When to meet (include training buffer)

• End Time - Expected completion time

Set Location

Enter the meeting/staging location where volunteers will gather:

• Campaign office address

• Coffee shop or public space

• Parking lot near canvass area

Assign Turf(s)

Select which turf(s) this shift will cover. You can assign multiple turfs if you expect enough volunteers.

Set Volunteer Capacity

Enter how many volunteers you need. Consider:

• Number of doors in assigned turfs

• Whether volunteers work solo or in pairs

• Available supervision capacity

Fill in shift details including date, location, and turf assignment

Overbook Slightly

Set capacity 10-20% higher than needed. Some volunteers won't show up, and extras can be assigned overflow tasks.

Shift Types

Regular Canvass

Standard door-knocking shifts. Typically 2-3 hours, walking assigned turf.

GOTV Canvass

Get-out-the-vote shifts targeting known supporters. More intense, often repeated visits.

Literature Drop

Non-contact shifts where volunteers leave door hangers. Faster coverage, less training needed.

Recurring Shifts

For regular canvassing, set up recurring shifts:

Enable Recurrence

Toggle Recurring Shift when creating.

Set Pattern

Choose the recurrence pattern:

• Daily - Same time every day

• Weekly - Same day each week (e.g., every Saturday)

• Custom - Specific days (e.g., Tue, Thu, Sat)

Set End Date

When should the recurring series end? Usually election day or the end of early voting.

Managing Shifts

View Signups

Click any shift to see who has signed up and available capacity.

Send Reminders

Click Send Reminder to email/text confirmed volunteers.

Cancel Shifts

If needed, cancel a shift. All signed-up volunteers will be notified automatically.

Weather Planning

Have a contingency plan for bad weather. Consider phone banking as a backup activity so volunteers still feel useful.

Manage signups and send reminders from the shift details panel

Next Steps

• How Volunteers Sign Up for Shifts

• How to Create Walk Lists

• Recording Canvass Results