Winning votes and influencing people: campaigning in Central and Eastern Europe

Using comparative data, we find that direct contact with voters is lower in CEE than elsewhere, although there are stark differences between CEE countries. Leafleting was the main form of contact, but the use of social media was higher in CEE than in Western Europe. Perennial parties are the most likely to contact citizens using personalised modes while the “accepted truth” that new entrants are more likely to use social media does not hold up. Our study shows the importance of direct contact on turnout which has significant ramifications for addressing the level of voter engagement in CEE countries.