Canvassing and market research

Canvassing and market research that meets the purpose test and take place during a regulated period will only be regulated campaign activity if it seeks the views of or information from the general public.

Services, premises, facilities, or equipment provided by others

It includes the cost of use, or hire, of any:

  • agency, individual or organisation 
  • services provided by any agency, individual or organisation
  • premises or facilities
  • equipment

used to:

  • to prepare, produce, facilitate, conduct or co-ordinate canvassing or market research including recording or analysing or otherwise utilising the results of any market research or canvassing activity

For example, the cost of using phone banks to contact voters, including the development of scripts for use by phone bank employees that are designed to influence voters.

Example

You hire a market research agency to gain insight into the voting intention of members of the public across Scotland and analyse this data for you. The aim of the market research is to use it to target your campaign at voters at the upcoming UK Parliamentary general election.

Using this data, you then hire phone banks to contact voters in the weeks leading up to an election, with the intention of influencing them to vote for parties who support a specific policy. 

As the market research and phone banking meet the purpose test and seek the views of members of the public, these costs will be considered regulated campaign activities.

Costs of obtaining or maintaining data 

This includes the cost of accessing, purchasing, developing and maintaining:

  • IT software or contact databases
  • data sets, including the use of data analytics to facilitate or undertake market research or canvassing 

For example, it includes the cost of undertaking social media listening and analysing the result to analyse the intention of voters. 

Other costs

It includes the cost of any purchase and use of any equipment required to:

  • prepare, produce or facilitate canvassing or market research 
  • conduct or co-ordinate canvassing or market research
  • record or analyse or otherwise utilise the results of any market research or canvassing activity

For example, laptops or tablets if used for canvassing and mobile phones if used by the leader/co-ordinator of the canvassing where that equipment and/or associated costs are paid for or reimbursed by registered third party.

Canvassing and market research may include activities such as: 

  • door knocking or other ways to canvass or collect information from members of the public
  • using phone banks to call members of the public to promote a particular party or categories of candidate, or to find out how an individual intends to vote
  • surveys or questionnaires sent to members of the public to find out how an individual intends to vote

If your canvassing or market research activity meets the purpose test but is conducted only with your organisation’s members or supporters, it will not be regulated campaign activity because it does not involve the general public.1

Last updated: 19 December 2023