Marilyn Canavan

SOMERSWORTH, N.H. –On the surface canvassing would appear to be a simple process. Walk up to a house, bang on the door, suck up whatever response you get, repeat.

But in New Hampshire it’s a science. Campaigns spend hours mulling over voter lists, creating maps, drawing diagrams, analyzing data. All to make sure the right doors are knocked on.

And the people tolerate it without much fanfare.

Saturday morning I found myself in Dover N.H., in a van with two state representatives, a Portland school board member and a lobbyist. I’m following this group of Mainers as they volunteer for John Edwards.

UPDATED Nov. 21 at noon.

After a gubernatorial candidate paid her spouse for campaign work with public funds, and a Lewiston lawmaker forged campaign reports and instead used Clean Elections funds for personal use, legislators are targeting campaign finance laws in the upcoming session.

Similar bills look at conflict of interest by a lawmaker, and lobbyist disclosure.

Speaker of the House Glenn Cummings, Rep. Marilyn Canavan, a former director of the state Ethics Commission and Rep. John Piotti, chairman of the Taxation Committee, all have bills moving forward that were approved by the Legislative Council.