Voter Registration and
Get-Out-The-Vote
Best Practices
Agenda
Purpose for this session
O To share best practices
O To learn about the GOTV
activities that organizations are
currently planning
O To generate practical activities
that we can do together to
increase the female vote
Agenda cont.
O Share best practices
O Discussion on what different
organizations are currently planning.
O Group discussion about what tactics
we would like to do together in table
groups
O Vote on top tactics
O Form working groups to implement
tactics
A Goal without a Plan is just a
Wish
A Goal without a PLAN
is just a Wish
O Goals (how many people)
O Targeting (who, where)
O Communication (how will you talk
to them?, what will you say?, who
will say it?)
O Tactics(how will you do it)
O Budget (how much will it cost)
Target Smart
O Target voters with moderate and
low propensities to vote
O Target homes with more than one
voter
Talking to Potential Voters
O Talk them through a voting plan. What
time, when, how will you get there.
O Emphasize high expected turnout in a
given election (not low expected
turnout)
O Remind voters of their previous
commitments to vote.
O Remind folks that voting records are
public
O Emphasize you are local
Tactics that work
O The more personal the contact, the
better!
O Door to door canvassing works for voter
registration and GOTV
O Use doorhangers
O Assign similar canvassers to the door to
door targets
O Use GOTV text messages
Tactics that work
O Classroom presentation on VR
increase registration rates
O Official looking VR mailing increase
return rates
O Robo-call reminder to return forms
increase Registration Rates
Tactics that work
O Online Voter Registration System
Increased Registration Rates
O Canvass + Mail Was Most Effective
O Public Assistance Reminder for
North Carolina State Board of
Elections Increased Voter
Registration Applications
Tactics that Don’t Work
O GOTV Robo Calls
O Don’t buy emails-GOTV emails don’t
work
O Traditional, glossy mail is not cost
effective for GOTV.
O Handwritten, or mail or postcards can
be effective for persuasion or increase
turnout)
Blueprint NC
Collaboration of progressive
501c3 organizations to enhance
the civic engagement,
communications and advocacy
campaigns of its coalition
partners.
Resources to Coalition
Members
O VAN/Walk Lists/Call Lists
O Online/Virtual Phone Banks
O Best Practices
O Training Opportunities
O Robosurvey/IRV calls (small cost)
O Souls to the Polls resources (Dem NC)
O http://ncvoterguide.com/
List Enhancement
O The list enhancement project takes the membership
lists of participating groups, matches them with the
public state voter file, and returns your list to you,
“enhanced” with new data. Participating groups
receive the following information for each registered
voter on their own membership list: age, gender,
phone number, congressional and state legislative
districts, county, voting precinct, political party
registration, frequency of voting, and more.
CONFIDENTIAL! FREE!
O Contact Carrie Clark with any questions or to sign up
to participate. Submit a signed contract to Carrie
Clark at fax: 919-839-0006 or carrie@nclcv.org as
soon as possible. Data must be submitted to LCVEF
by April 9 via FTP (preferred) or email.
VAN
O The VAN is an online database of
voters that can be used for
organizing and voter engagement
Brief Presentations
O Planned Parenthood
O Momsrising
O Dem NC
O League of Women Voters
Pathways to Power
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Hickory, North Carolina
When: Saturday, March 31 thru Sunday, April 1
Times: Saturday 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM and Sunday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Location: TBD
RSVP: http://bit.ly/pathways-hickory
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Fayetteville, North Carolina
When: Saturday, June 2 thru Sunday, June 3
Times: Saturday 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM and Sunday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Location: TBD
RSVP: http://bit.ly/pathways-fayetteville
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Rocky Mount, North Carolina
When: Saturday, June 23 thru Sunday, June 24
Times: Saturday 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM and Sunday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Location: TBD
RSVP: http://bit.ly/pathways-rockymount
What can we do?
O Souls to the polls
O www.electionconnection.com – share the
site
O Hold a voter registration drive
O Voter Education (forums, voter guides)
O Reach out to campuses to connect with
students – create informed volunteers
ERIN BYRD
erin@blueprintnc.org