Inside the Local Campaign reveals what goes on in constituency campaigns during a Canadian election. It brings to light the key roles of candidates and their supporters on the ground in an election, and demonstrates that local electioneering matters.

For decades, the media has focused primarily on the national campaign and party leaders, and the practice of canvassing for votes by candidates and their supporters has been seen as more tradition than science. But things have evolved in the age of digital media. Local-level campaigning is more fashionable – and critical for gathering data that can be used post-election. Inside the Local Campaign provides an up-to-date look at local-level campaigning during a Canadian federal election. Using the 2021 federal campaign as an anchor, an impressive collection of authors and practitioners discusses local-level campaigning in electoral districts across the country, highlights local trends and on-the-ground roles, and discloses hidden details about how local campaigns are run.

Alex Marland (Political Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland) was a public servant in the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador from 2003 to 2006. He coedited First Among Unequals: The Premier, Politics, and Policy in Newfoundland and Labrador and coauthored the textbook Inside Canadian Politics. His book Brand Command: Canadian Politics and Democracy in the Age of Message Control won the Donner Prize for best public policy book by a Canadian and the Atlantic Book Award for scholarly writing.

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While the broad range of experiences reported here make for a significant contribution... the book’s additional value is the trove of insights into the complex and mutually interdependent relationships between candidates, staff, volunteers, and national parties.

Literary Review of Canada