In Bermuda, very likely a political candidate, even between elections.

The reversal of party fortunes in Hamilton West on October 5 accelerated a change in how politics are conducted.

Four years of door-knocking by United Bermuda Party challengers the Hon.

Maxwell Burgess and Mr. Wayne Furbert were largely credited with ousting Progressive Labour Party incumbents Mr. Eugene Blakeney and Mr. Julian Hall, whose approach contrasted sharply.

Canvassing was always important in Island politics, but never like it is today. "The message was pretty clear in Hamilton West -- that hard work really pays off and the voters really expect to see you out there,'' said Dr.

Grant Gibbons, the UBP campaign chairman.

Some UBP candidates have always canvassed between elections and many hold regular constituency clinics, Dr. Gibbons said. After the UBP's narrow 22-18 win, "I certainly as campaign manager have urged our candidates to get back out there again,'' he said.

The Progressive Labour Party, in its New Beginning programme, would start "continuous canvassing'' by all its candidates in November, Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade said. "Once you finish, you start again,'' he said.

The PLP always canvassed between elections, but the door-knocking was selective and intended mainly to register voters, he said. Now, everybody would be canvassed.

"It is clear that Bermudians expect people to see them more often than we have been seeing them.'' Mr. Wade stressed that it was not just Hamilton West that prompted the change.

The PLP lost seats by a handful of votes in St. George's South and several other constituencies, he said. "The Island is now wide open for us,'' and "the campaign has started now.'' In Pembroke East Central, where the UBP's Mr. David Lines and Mr. Lawson Mapp ran hard but were defeated by PLP MPs Mr. Stanley Morton and Mr. David Allen, the campaign never ended.

The defeated UBP candidates are working to resolve housing and other problems in the area.

Mr. Lines is chairing a new UBP branch in the constituency after the last one lapsed. There would "at the very least'' be a regular UBP constituency clinic established, and possibly canvassing, he said.

"The primary objective is to serve the people in that constituency,'' Mr.

Lines said. And winning votes? "If in the goodness of time that is one of the outcomes, it would be a welcome bonus.'' Officials with each party didn't see canvassing as the "be all and end all'' in determining electoral success. But they said it was an important factor.

"One thing voters do hate is to feel they're being taken for granted,'' Dr.

Gibbons said.