Special elections are texting's ideal terrain. Turnout is very low, the electorate is small and hard to predict, and the timeline is often compressed, which puts a premium on reaching your supporters fast and making sure they vote. In a race that might be decided by a few hundred votes, a disciplined texting program can be the whole margin. Here's how to build one.
Why are special elections different?
Turnout is the story. Special elections happen off the normal calendar, so most voters aren't paying attention and turnout craters, sometimes into the single digits as a share of registered voters. That makes the electorate small, unpredictable, and dominated by the most motivated voters. The campaign that best identifies and turns out its supporters usually wins, because persuasion matters less when so few people are voting and turnout matters more.
How do you build a special-election texting program?
Fast and turnout-focused:
- Move immediately. Special elections are often called on short notice, so register and build your list the day the race starts. There's no time to waste on setup.
- Identify supporters fast. Use P2P voter ID to find your people quickly in the small universe.
- Turn them out relentlessly. With turnout so low, every identified supporter who votes is enormous. Concentrate resources on GOTV to your supporters.
- Chase every vote. In a race decided by hundreds, ballot cure and every-vote chasing can swing it.
Why does texting win special elections?
Because it delivers the two things a special election rewards, speed and turnout, better than any other channel. It stands up fast, which matters when the race is short. It reaches a small universe cheaply and personally. And it excels at the turnout job that decides low-turnout races. A special election is close to a pure test of who can identify and mobilize their supporters, and texting is the most cost-effective tool for exactly that.
Frequently asked questions
Why is texting effective in special elections?
Because special elections turn on turnout in a tiny, unpredictable universe, and texting reaches supporters fast and cheaply to get them to vote. It also stands up quickly, which matters in a short race.
What should a special-election texting program prioritize?
Speed and turnout. Register and build your list immediately, identify supporters fast with P2P, and concentrate relentlessly on turning them out. Persuasion matters less when so few vote.
How fast do you need to move in a special election?
Immediately. Specials are often called on short notice, so register and start building your list the day the race begins. There's no time for a slow setup.
Keep reading: voter ID by text and the 72-hour GOTV plan. For registration, see The Campaign Registry.