How to Develop and Distribute a Get-Out-the-Vote Message
July 2002

Select your organization's top two or three issues, ones you have been working on for at least six months prior to the election. Reduce each issue to a few words, like a seven second sound bite. For example:

• vigorous enforcement of the ADA;
• improved transportation;
• restore the cuts in _________.

Effective get-out-the-vote messages are short and repeated frequently. Advertisers sell Coke and other products with short slogans, not with long, technical explanations. Other examples might be:

• if you want more work opportunities, vote;
• if you want accessible housing, vote;
• if you want to live in the community, vote.

The messages are most effectively delivered by calling members/consumers of your organization three times in the ten days prior to the election, with one of the calls coming on Election Day. Other opportunities to reinforce the message are:

• putting a get-out-the-vote message on your office and personal answering machines;
• ending all your e-mails with your get-out-the-vote message;
• putting your issue focused get-out-the-vote message in every newsletter. Also put it on every flier, meeting announcement and letter;
• in every speech discuss the importance of voting, and connect it to winning your issues;
• mailing a one page, issue focused get-out-the-vote piece to everyone on your list. Time this mailing to coincide with your phone bank.

Long discussions on the importance of voting are not the most effective way to turn out large numbers of voters. Your members/consumers know their own self interest. Fashion your message to the issues they care most passionately about, and repeat, repeat, repeat!

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