canvasser

American  

[kan-vuhs-er] / ˈkæn vəs ər /

noun

1. a person who solicits votes, subscriptions, donations, opinions, or the like, especially by phone or door-to-door.

   Besides raising funds, canvassers also leave important information for residents regarding heart health.

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Etymology

Origin of canvasser

First recorded in 1595–1605, for an earlier sense; 1790–1800, for the current sense; canvass ( def. ) + -er ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

Tonight, I’m shadowing Elly Mui, who’s been with the campaign since January—first as a paid canvasser in the run-up to the primary, which Mamdani won in a surprise upset, and as a volunteer ever since.

From Slate • Oct. 27, 2025

One canvasser said he was paid $25 an hour and found the job on Craigslist.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2025

It was unclear whether Mr. Paiz could see the boy through the door, or whether the boy had identified himself as a canvasser with the Warnock campaign before the shot was fired.

From New York Times • Dec. 2, 2022

A paid canvasser for the New Georgia Project Action Fund, Hardwick was working the southwest Georgia town of Dawson on a warm October afternoon.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 3, 2022

Immediately the advertisement canvasser was sent for, M. Blanc having refused to farm out that department to an agency, as is frequently done in Paris, in order to retain the absolute control over it.

From An Englishman in Paris Notes and Recollections by Albert D.