I have not knocked on many doors. I usually ring the door bell! We do try but there are over 70,000 voters in this rural i.e lots of small villages and single houses up farm tracks, constituency and most of them are always OUT. If you go in the morning most people are at work, older people are not up yet and SAHMs tend to be at playgroups or visiting. Afternoons are slightly better, particularly if you can find an area with lots of pensioners. Evenings are hopeless, people are either making dinner, bathing children (I disturbed one distraught dad + two wet, howling children in towels, who muttered 'herself is out tonight') or watching soaps. We always stop before it gets dark so only 6.30 to 8.30. Many see you but do not open the door at all. Saturdays - lots of people out, though if it is nice you may catch some folk working in their gardens or washing the car. Usually on Saturdays, market days, etc we will do 'street activity' basically leafletting and talking to people wherever there is quite a crowd about. That way the candidate can meet more voters within a short time. Sundays - we do not canvass in case it upsets the religious.
On an average street you might get replies at 25% of houses, and some of them will just say no thank you and shut the door in your face. When you do get a chance to talk to someone they are usually very nice, polite and interested - you meet some smashing people and find like minded people in unexpected places.
BTW I do not like being referred to as a 'Party Lackey' as above nor the inference that we get paid from party funds. Certainly in my party - SNP - we all do our campaining work voluntarily and at our own (petrol, etc) expense. We do it because it is as much OUR Party, our cause as it is our Candidates. We hand deliver most of our leaflets ourselves rather than waste party funds, which come from our own pockets and fundraising events, on postage stamps.
I should of course be in bed asleep by now preparing for tomorrow's marathon - polls open at 7.00am, counting finishes at 2.00 or 3.00am if we are lucky, but I cannot sleep. Two years of working towards this Election and if the electorate decide to 'vote labour to keep the tories out' it will all have been in vain. Ho Hum!