The short answer to how long a political text should be is: shorter than you think. Brevity wins in a channel where people read on a glance and every extra word risks losing them. But there's more to it than word count, there are technical reasons around message segments and practical reasons around attention. Here's how to think about length.
Why does shorter win?
Because attention is scarce and a text is read fast. A voter glances at a text and decides in a second whether to engage, so a long message gets skimmed or dropped while a short one gets read. Every extra sentence is a chance to lose the reader before the ask. The discipline of brevity also forces clarity: a message you have to say in a few words is usually a clearer message. So shorter isn't just easier to read, it's usually better written, one point, one ask, no padding.
Are there technical length limits?
Yes. A single SMS is limited to 160 characters, and longer messages get split into multiple segments, which are stitched back together on the recipient's phone but can cost more to send and, in some cases, arrive as separate texts. So length has a real cost: a message that spills over segment boundaries is pricier at scale and slightly riskier for delivery. This is a practical reason to keep messages tight, staying within a segment or two keeps costs down and delivery clean. It's not a hard rule that every text must fit 160 characters, but it's a reason not to write long without cause.
How long should a text actually be?
Long enough to make one clear point and ask, no longer. In practice that usually means a couple of short sentences: who it's from, why it's relevant, what to do. A GOTV reminder can be very short, just the action and the link. A persuasion P2P opener might be slightly longer to open a conversation, but still tight. The test isn't a word count; it's whether every word earns its place. If you can cut a word without losing meaning, cut it. The best political texts read as if the writer respected the reader's time, which they did, and that respect is part of why they get read and acted on.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a political text be?
As short as it can be while making one clear point and ask, usually a couple of short sentences. Say who it's from, why it's relevant, and what to do, then stop. The test is whether every word earns its place.
Is there a character limit for texts?
A single SMS is 160 characters; longer messages split into multiple segments, stitched together on the phone but costing more to send at scale and slightly riskier for delivery. Keeping messages tight, within a segment or two, keeps costs and delivery clean.
Why is shorter better for political texts?
Because attention is scarce and texts are read on a glance, so long messages get skimmed or dropped. Brevity also forces clarity, a message said in few words is usually clearer, and it keeps costs and delivery clean by staying within segment limits.
Keep reading: how to write a political text that gets read and calls to action in political texts. For carrier registration, see The Campaign Registry.