Judicial races, school board seats, and other quiet down-ballot contests share a defining problem: voters don't know the candidates, so they either skip the race entirely or vote on a whim. That low-information environment makes turnout and basic education decisive, and texting, which can reach voters cheaply and tell them something useful, is well suited to both. Here's how to run a texting program in a low-information race.
Why are low-information races different?
Because ignorance, not disagreement, drives the outcome. In a presidential race, voters have strong priors; in a school board or judicial race, most have none, so they don't vote (huge drop-off down the ballot) or they guess. That changes the job: instead of persuading committed partisans, you're introducing a candidate to voters encountering the race for the first time and making sure your supporters complete their ballot. The candidate who gives voters a reason and a reminder wins races the other candidate never contested.
How does texting cut through?
By delivering the two things these races need, education and a turnout reminder:
- Introduce the candidate. A simple, clear message about who the candidate is and what they'd do, since voters likely know nothing.
- Give a reason. One or two concrete points that distinguish the candidate, framed for a voter with no priors.
- Remind them the race exists. GOTV that specifically tells supporters to vote all the way down the ballot, since drop-off is the enemy.
- Target supporters. Use voter ID and the voter file to focus effort where it converts.
Why is turnout so decisive here?
Because ballot drop-off is enormous in low-information races, plenty of people vote the top of the ticket and leave the judicial and school board sections blank. A big part of a low-info program is simply getting your identified supporters to fill in the whole ballot, which a GOTV reminder can do. When a race is decided by the small share of voters who bothered to vote in it, reminding your supporters to complete their ballot can be the entire margin. Texting is the cheapest tool for reaching that small, decisive universe.
Frequently asked questions
Why are judicial and school board races hard to win?
Because voters don't know the candidates, so they skip the race (huge ballot drop-off) or guess. The outcome turns on education and turnout, not persuading committed partisans.
How does texting help in low-information races?
By introducing the candidate to voters with no priors, giving them a concrete reason, and reminding supporters to vote all the way down the ballot, cutting the drop-off that decides these races.
Why does turnout matter so much down-ballot?
Because ballot drop-off is huge, many voters skip judicial and school board sections. Getting identified supporters to complete their ballot can be the whole margin in a race decided by the few who vote in it.
Keep reading: texting for down-ballot and local races and the 72-hour GOTV plan. For voter tools, see Vote.org.