You build the list early and spend it late. The mistake is treating texting as a GOTV-week tool, by then it's too late to collect consent or warm a sender reputation. Start opt-ins and light engagement months out, so that when the ballot-chase and GOTV window opens, you have a big, warm, deliverable list ready.
The early work that makes late volume possible
Months out: collect opt-ins everywhere, register 10DLC, send occasional useful messages to establish a reputation and keep the list warm. None of this is high-volume, it's the groundwork that lets you send hard later without getting throttled or ignored.
When the volume actually comes
As mail ballots drop, through early voting, and on Election Day, that's when the ballot-chase and GOTV sends cluster. A list you built and warmed over months absorbs that volume; a list you scraped together in the final week gets filtered right when it matters.
Frequently asked questions
When should a campaign start texting voters?
Build the consented list and warm your sender reputation months out; cluster heavy GOTV volume in the final stretch (mail-ballot windows, early voting, Election Day). Build early, spend late.
Is it too late to start texting close to Election Day?
For GOTV volume, largely, you can't collect consent or build sender reputation overnight, and last-minute blasts get filtered. Start list-building months ahead so the late volume has somewhere to land.
Informational, not legal advice.
Keep reading: How to schedule GOTV texts without breaking quiet hours and GOTV texting: the complete guide.