From Foot-Slogging to Call Centres and Direct Mail: A Framework for Analysing the Development of District-Level Campaigning

Drawing upon ideas formulated with national level campaigning in mind and also analyses of district or local-level campaigning, a conceptual framework to assist in analysing the development of district-level campaigning is presented. The proposed framework is further amplified, explained and tested using quantitative and qualitative data collected at British general elections between 1992 and 2005. Various aspects of district (constituency) campaigning in Britain are examined and the extent of change over four general elections analysed. In broad terms, the data show a good fit with the framework which offers a useful way of thinking about developments in campaigning both within and across countries.