Your first political text has two jobs at once: get read and acted on, and not get you sued or filtered. The good news is that the same short discipline does both. Here's a working template you can send today.
The anatomy of a compliant text
A good political text has four parts, and only one of them is your ask:
- Who you are. Identify the campaign or committee by name, up front. A voter who doesn't know who's texting them treats it as spam, and so do the carriers.
- The point. One clear message. Not three. A single ask or a single piece of information.
- The action. One thing to do, with one link or one reply. Make it obvious and easy.
- The exit. "Reply STOP to opt out." Every message, no exceptions.
Put together, it looks like this:
Hi, it's the Chen for Council team. Early voting starts Oct 24, find your location: [link]. Reply STOP to opt out.
That's it. Identified, one point, one action, an exit. Under 160 characters, so it sends as a single segment.
What makes it compliant
The compliance isn't a separate step, it's baked into the format. You identified yourself. You gave a clear opt-out. And, critically, you only sent it to someone who opted in in the first place, because the best-written text in the world is still a violation if the recipient never agreed to hear from you. Consent is the foundation the rest sits on.
What makes it work
The same things that keep you compliant make the message land. People read texts that are short, clear, and obviously from a real sender. They ignore, and report, texts that are long, vague, or anonymous. Respect for the recipient and effectiveness point the same direction.
Two more rules of thumb:
- Write like a person, not a press release. "Hi, it's the Chen team" beats "Paid for by Friends of Chen." Save the disclaimer for where it's legally required and lead with a human voice.
- One message, one purpose. If you have two things to say, that's two texts on two days, not one wall of text.
Before you hit send
Run the four-part check: Did I identify the campaign? Is there one clear point and one action? Is STOP included? Did everyone on this list opt in? If all four are yes, send it. If any is no, fix it first, because after it goes out, it's out.
Your first text sets the tone for every one after it. Make it short, honest, and welcome, and you've built the habit that keeps a texting program both effective and out of trouble.
Frequently asked questions
What should a political text include?
Who you are (the campaign, by name), one clear point, one action with a link or reply, and an opt-out ("Reply STOP"), ideally under 160 characters so it sends as a single message. And it should only go to people who opted in.
How long should a political text be?
Short, ideally under 160 characters, which sends as one segment and respects the reader. One message, one purpose. If you have two things to say, send two texts on different days rather than one long block.
Informational, not legal advice.
Keep reading: Writing political texts: the complete guide and do campaigns need consent to text voters.