Having campaigned the previous week in Harden for the Bradford Council elections, the first notable difference was the instruction on the guidance sheet given out to volunteers in West Virginia to "stay hydrated" – not a problem in West Yorkshire in late April.

Unlike the UK where most people want to get rid of political canvassers from the doorstep as quickly as possible, it appears voters actually welcome a visit in the United States and it becomes a whole social event.

By the time you have got through the usual, ritualistic American pleasantries "How are you doing... I'm doing fine... how are you doing?... Oh, just great thanks... nice dogs you have there... yeah they're kinda cute...", you could already have covered another three houses.

We were actually thanked for calling a couple of times. Although, given the looks received while driving around the housing community, it's clear they don't get many strangers calling. Nor are they encouraged.

One canvasser reported a door that had a poster of a shotgun saying: "Call after dark and this is what you will be facing." I was curious to go and see if there were stick figures of men scratched on the doorpost marking the number of unfortunates who had ignored the warning.

The first area canvassed was a sprawling estate not in the British sense of houses, but of grass with the odd house scattered here and there. Over the constant noise of tractor mowers with everyone apparently cutting their grass, we canvassed a middle income, middle aged and totally white group.

All were determined that they were going to vote, with some reinforcing this by emphasising the need for a change, but the majority were still undecided who to vote for. In the UK, this normally means that they are going to vote for your opponent,
but they are too polite to tell you to your face.

With Americans not being renowned for their reticence, this indecision was probably more genuine. There was a sprinkling of Hillary Clinton supporters and also a couple of Republicans, even though we were supposed only to be calling on people identified as registered Democrats or Independents. It's reassuring to know that American political organisation can be just as unreliable as it is here.

We then moved on to a trailer park. Somewhat unusually, this was a gated park. Given the social divisions that exist in America and the perceptions of trailer park inhabitants, perhaps this was more to keep people in than to keep others out. Here, perhaps surprisingly, we found the closest thing to a Obama supporter – a man who was strongly leaning his way as he thought he was the cleanest of the two Democratic contenders – in other words, less negative.

There was also a woman, who had ruled out John McCain as being too old and Senator Clinton because a woman could not deal with the issues facing America. According to her, a woman would not be respected by the leaders of Iran and Iraq. This reminded me of canvassing in Margaret Thatcher's first election in 1979 when it was more likely to be women than men who questioned whether a woman was appropriate for the role.

When pinned down to ask what was their reticence in proclaiming for Obama, nothing specific could be named, although one woman in the trailer park perhaps spoke for many less open when she said: "I know this sounds kinda funny, but I don't like his name." She quickly added: "It's not because he's black."

This current that Obama is somehow "odd" clearly runs deep. Some of it may be code for not liking his race, as suggested to me by a middle class and middle American couple from Nebraska recently when they said: "Regretfully, this country is still not ready to elect a black person."

The near universal expression of distaste for the current administration, and the need for a dramatic change, was reminiscent of the feeling in the UK in 1997 and, significantly, on the doorsteps of Yorkshire last week.

My part of West Virginia was not Obama's natural constituency, but it emphasised the battle he faces in the remaining states to win over the working and lower middle class vote.

In all the 29 states where exit polls have been conducted, Clinton has gained a larger share of the white, non-college educated vote in 26
of them. Her lead grows with the
age group from 10 points for the under-30s to a sizeable 33 points among the 45 to 64 age group,
which would account for most of those we canvassed.

Should Obama become the nominee, as the American political establishment seems to expect following Tuesday's primary results, he faces the challenge of stopping
this constituency either from sitting
on their hands or voting for
John McCain.

Although there was a distinct commonality summed up by the man who said of the candidates, "They're all promise and no delivery", two lessons for British election practice were gleaned. One is for the Electoral Commission – allow people to vote early when it is convenient for them by going to a civic building on any day before polling day to cast their ballot as they could in West Virginia.

The other lesson is for the political parties – if you want volunteers, look after them. In the back of the Democratic Party HQ was a table laden with food. Awaiting us on our return were some of the best home-made brownies I have tasted. Now, if that isn't an incentive to go out canvassing, I don't know what is.


Geoff Lawler was a Conservative MP for Bradford from 1983-87. He now runs The Public Affairs Company, a Leeds-based firm of lobbyists.