By Una Mullally, The Irish Times, Ireland- My housemate came home from canvassing for a Yes vote in the marriage referendum the other evening and said there were more than 50 people out knocking on doors. The final headcount was actually 75. That was one constituency in one county on one night. Canvassing is organised by local Yes Equality groups all around the country. There’s an interactive map on yesequality.ie where you can find your local group. Mailing lists keep volunteers updated on where the canvassing meet-up points are and how progress is going. Daily email briefings link to relevant articles or radio interviews or talking points. Daily video updates from Yes Equality HQ let everyone know what new campaign has launched and how fundraising drives are doing.
Canvass leaders keep track of which doors have been covered with traditional maps and tracking apps. And little did Brian Acton and Jan Koum know when they founded WhatsApp six years ago, that the app would end up being utilised by Irish people checking in with each other along the highways and byways, around homesteads where they’d knock on the door and start a conversation about the upcoming vote.
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