9-minute read
Casting ballots is a cornerstone of our democracy, yet inspiring people to participate in elections can be difficult. Get Out the Vote (GOTV) campaigns are an effective way to incentivize and encourage citizens to go out and vote on election day. In this article, you’ll find all the information you need about GOTV – from what it stands for and why it matters to how one could get involved in such initiatives. Both new voters and experienced activists will benefit from reading further! Let’s learn more about GOTV now and explore ways to promote civic engagement when the time comes for national or local elections.
This post is Part 2 of 3 of our practical guide to getting out the vote. You can get Part 1 here and Part 3 here.
Strategies to Get Out The Vote
Step 1: Develop a Targeted Voter List
Developing a targeted voter list is one key step in any successful GOTV (Get Out the Vote) campaign. This involves identifying potential supporters and using voter data to create a list of likely voters who are most likely to respond to your outreach efforts.
To develop a targeted voter list, you’ll need to start by identifying the demographics of your potential supporters. This may include age, gender, race, and party affiliation. This is especially important for local elections where voter geographic data is ley. You can use voter data and polling information to help you understand the makeup of your potential supporters and determine who is most likely to support your campaign or cause.
Once you have a sense of the demographics of your potential supporters, you can use voter data to create a list of likely voters for your vote efforts. This may include voter registration status, voting history, and contact information. This list can then be used to target your outreach efforts and maximize voter turnout.
It’s important to note that voter data is constantly changing, so it’s important to regularly update your voter list to ensure that it’s accurate and current. This will help ensure that your GOTV efforts are effective and reach the right people. By developing a targeted voter list, you can more effectively mobilize voters and help get out the vote on election day.
Tools and Companies for Developing a Targeted Voter List
Many tools, companies, and organizations can help you develop a targeted voter list for your GOTV (Get Out the Vote) campaign. Some examples include:
The Voter Activation Network (VAN) is a popular tool many political campaigns and organizations use to manage voter data and develop targeted voter lists. VAN offers a range of features, including voter registration information, voting history, and contact information, to help you create a comprehensive and accurate voter list and get out the vote.
NationBuilder is another popular tool to help you develop a targeted voter list. NationBuilder offers a range of features, including voter data, online organizing tools, and social media integration, to help campaign workers engage with potential voters and mobilize them to get out and vote.
Voter data orgs run by political parties like The Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Republican National Committee (RNC) can provide data and tools to help political campaigns and organizations develop targeted voter lists. The DNC and RNC offer access to voter data and training and support to help you build grassroots campaigns.
TargetSmart is a leading provider of political data and analytics, offering various services to help campaigns and organizations develop targeted voter lists. TargetSmart offers voter data, targeting, modeling, and campaign management tools to help you create effective GOTV campaigns.
Catalist is another company that provides voter data and other services to political campaigns and organizations. Catalist provides a suite of services to enable you to create finely-tuned voter lists and energize voters. Their services span from investigative voter data and targeting, and modeling, all the way up to their cutting-edge campaign management tools.
L2 Political is a company that provides voter data and other services to political campaigns and organizations. L2 Political offers voter data, targeting, modeling, and campaign management tools, as well as training and support, to help you create effective GOTV campaigns.
Step 2: Create a Personalized Message
Once you have developed a targeted voter list for your GOTV (Get Out the Vote) campaign, the next step is to create a personalized message that resonates with your audience. This involves understanding the needs and concerns of voters and developing a message that speaks to them directly.
To create a personalized message, you’ll need to do some public opinion research to understand the issues and concerns of your potential supporters. This may involve conducting surveys, focus groups, or other forms of analysis to gain insights into the needs and priorities of your target audience. You can also use voter data to identify critical issues and demographics important to your potential supporters.
Once you clearly understand the needs and concerns of your potential supporters, you can begin to develop a personalized message that resonates with them. This may involve highlighting specific issues or policies important to your audience or using language and messaging tailored to their needs and concerns.
It’s important to remember that a personalized message is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Your message should be tailored to your target audience’s specific needs and concerns and adjusted based on feedback and data. By creating a personalized message, you can more effectively engage voters and encourage them to get out and vote.
Step 3: Utilize Multiple Communication Channels
To effectively reach voters and mobilize them to get out and vote, it’s important to utilize multiple communication channels in your GOTV (Get Out the Vote) campaign. This means using various traditional and digital methods to engage voters and encourage them to turn out on election day.
Direct Contact
One of the most effective methods for reaching voters is direct contact, such as door-to-door canvassing or phone banking. By directly engaging with voters, you can have personal conversations and provide information about voting options and procedures. This can be a highly effective way to motivate voters and encourage them to go to the polls.
In-person events, such as rallies, town halls, and candidate forums, can be effective campaign tactics in your direct contact strategy for reaching voters in your GOTV (Get Out the Vote) campaign. These events allow you to directly engage with voters and provide them with information about voting options and registration deadlines.
In addition to building enthusiasm and engagement, in-person events can also be a great way to gather valuable information and feedback from voters. By holding Q&A sessions or conducting surveys at these events, candidates can gain valuable insights into the needs and concerns of their target voter, which can help them refine their messaging and outreach strategy.
Live Music
Live music events can effectively engage Gen Z voters in your GOTV (Get Out the Vote) campaign and increase voter turnout. This is because Gen Z is a generation that is highly engaged with music, and live music events can provide a unique and engaging way to connect with this demographic.
Gen Z is known for being highly connected to music and live events. Many members of this generation are active on social media and are passionate about discovering new music and attending live music events. By holding a live music event as part of your GOTV campaign, you can tap into this passion and engage with Gen Z voters in a meaningful way.
Live music events can also be a great way to create a sense of community and connection with Gen Z voters. You can create an engaging and energizing environment by bringing together like-minded individuals passionate about music and politics. This can help mobilize Gen Z voter turnout to get out and vote on election day.
Community-driven events platforms like WithOthers can help you build your volunteer-run live events voter mobilization program. WithOthers provides a collaborative online platform where volunteer event organizers can find and connect with musicians and crew members to help run their events. These volunteers can all be organized within one parent organization to consolidate data collection and activity tracking. WithOthers also provide recruitment and volunteer management services for organizations as they grow their local event organizer community. This helps you expand your direct voter contact program and reach more potential voters in your GOTV campaign.
For campaigns and organizations planning to hold larger-scale events, organizations like SoundsGood Presents provide full production and talent-buying services for concert rallies.
Digital Channels
There are many other communication channels that you can use in your GOTV (Get Out the Vote)
In addition to direct contact, it’s also important to utilize digital communication channels, such as email, social media, and online advertising. These channels can be a great way to reach a large audience quickly and efficiently. They can be used to share information about voting options, polling locations, and other important information.
Peer-to-peer (P2P) texting is a relatively new digital communication channel that is becoming increasingly popular for GOTV (Get Out the Vote) campaigns. P2P texting involves using software and platforms to enable volunteers and supporters to send personalized text messages to voters.
P2P texting is a valuable resource for GOTV campaigns because it allows them to reach many voters quickly and efficiently. By using P2P texting, campaigns can send personalized messages to voters, providing information about voting options and procedures and encouraging them to get out and vote.
One of the key advantages of P2P texting is that it allows campaigns to engage in one-on-one conversations with voters. This enables campaigns to have personalized, direct discussions with potential voters, which can be a highly effective way to motivate them to get out and vote.
Traditional Media
It’s also important to consider using more traditional methods of communication, such as direct mail, e-mail, billboards, and radio and television ads, to drive voter turnout. These methods can effectively reach a broad audience and are particularly useful in reaching older or less tech-savvy voters to get out and vote.
By utilizing multiple communication channels, you can more effectively reach potential voters and encourage them to get out and vote.
Part 3 of the post is next. You can find it right here.
