Campaigns are adopting new, science-backed strategies to boost voter contact rates, change minds, and turnout more supporters. With voters using technology to avoid political emails, calls, texts, door knocks, and ads, these innovations in voter contact are helping candidates cut through by using a voter’s existing relationships.
In this new report, we highlight three recent innovations in voter contact that are shown to have significant effects on both persuasion and turnout. Relational organizing, vote tripling, and deep canvassing are becoming reliable tactics for Democratic campaigns and liberal issue advocacy groups. Republicans and their conservative allies, however, have been slower to adopt these innovations due to relevant cultural differences.
As competitive elections become more heavily contested, even the slightest advantage that could move just a few thousand votes can make all the difference.
With these newer, technology-enabled outreach strategies, campaigns can reach voters at significantly higher rates more efficiently than legacy tactics alone. As campaigners reach for every tool at their disposal to persuade and turnout voters, relational organizing, vote tripling, and deep canvassing must be key components of their strategy.