Get out the vote campaigns are particularly tricky this year as you can’t knock on doors and recruit in the same personable way you used to. That means your online interaction strategy with potential voters and advocates is more important than ever.
Below are six best practices on how to get the maximum engagement for your GOTV campaign communications.
Make it Personal
Voters and your supporters respond best to other people, whether in their community, workplace, or friends and neighbors. Getting groups of like-minded people involved can help you spread the word and boost your GOTV campaign. Make sure you explain why this election is important, tying it back to the issues your organization and your supporters care about.
Make it Easy
You want to make it as easy as possible for your advocates to participate in the political process. So make sure to have one place where people can get all the information you need. FiscalNote’s VoterVoice action center easily allows you to help your supporters register to vote, find who their candidates are, what their local requirements and deadlines are for absentee or early voting, and what is at stake for your main issues.
Designate a Day
Either for a big early voting push or for people to register — or both — make it an event for your organization where people engage in the political process together and feel part of your community.
Leverage Volunteers
If you have a few advocates who are high on your advocacy ladder of engagement, ask them if they would like to assist with your get out the vote efforts. This could be as simple as having a group email for your supporters asking if they want to help others understand the absentee ballot process, for example, and then you can train some of your volunteers to help answer the most common questions.
Remind People About Important Dates and Events
While you can direct all your supporters to your FiscalNote VoterVoice action center so they can quickly find all the important election information by their zip code, you can also take a proactive approach and help them remember key dates on their specific location. You can segment your list by states, for example, and remind your advocates about registration deadlines, absentee ballot processes, local candidate information, and upcoming debates and town hall meetings.
Host Virtual Events
Continue building that sense of community by hosting virtual events. Maybe it’s a debate or town hall watch party and discussion, or a webinar about how your issues play out in the upcoming election. You can still get in front of, and have meaningful conversations with your advocates even with social distancing restrictions.
