What Is GOTV? The Complete Guide to Get Out The Vote Campaigns

Each time we have an election, you will hear people use the term “GOTV” many times. You will hear talk about it by campaign coordinators, they’ll be scheduling several weekends to prepare for “GOTV” and budget for “GOTV” as well. If you ever sat in a strategy meeting wondering what “GOTV” is and what goes into making it successful, you are not alone.

In this guide, I will break down everything you need to know about “GOTV” including what “GOTV” means, the history of “GOTV”, how campaigns use “GOTV”, and why using SMS to execute “GOTV” is the best way to achieve success.

What Does GOTV Stand For?

“GOTV” means “Get Out The Vote” and refers to the efforts of registered voters to show up to vote on Election Day (or during early voting). “GOTV” is a term that has been used for many years; however, in the current environment, “GOTV” may mean much different than it did in earlier years. Today’s “GOTV” is a data-driven, multi-channel operation with strict timeliness, target audiences, and measurable results.

Why GOTV Matters More Than Persuasion?

The hardest part of a successful campaign is most people thinking that the most difficult thing possible for them will be persuading them to support the candidate. However, the majority of individuals who may be potential supporters already know that they will support your candidate. Thus, the most difficult and important task of the campaign is to find ways to encourage those who are supporters to vote.

There is great research to support the theory that the turn out at the polls is actually going to determine the outcome of most elections and therefore not the ability to persuade someone to support your candidate. For instance, in competitive districts, it is most often the case that which party was able to operate a successful get-out-the-vote operation will determine whether they were successful in winning the election.

Here are some of the statistics that can be provided to support that: In very many local and mid-term elections the turn out is normally between 20% – 40% of the total registered voters. This means that more than half of the voters who could have voted did not vote; thus, a properly run get-out-the-vote operation would be focused specifically towards getting the low-propensity voters who lean toward supporting your candidate to vote by way of encouraging them and giving them the motivation to vote.

How GOTV Campaigns Actually Work?

GOTV initiatives usually commence within three to four days of Election Day, and have three basic components: 

1. Find Your Targets

Voter files, which contain a list of registered voters in your area, will be used to identify your sporadic supporters: these are individuals with prior voting histories or demographics that suggest they may vote again. Your GOTV targets are those who fit the description of voter underachievement and who you also want to persuade to increase their vote share through a campaign initiative. 

2. Determine How You Will Communicate With Voters

Traditional means of GOTV communication include door knocking and telephone calls, but today there are also digital ways of reaching voters, such as email, social media, and SMS text messaging. Each of these methods provides access to a different group of voters, so the best campaigns will use a combination of these methods.

3. Deliver Your Messages

GOTV messages are sent out in waves: an initial reminder message three to five days before the election, followed by another reminder message the day before the election, and a final reminder message on election morning. The messages contain three simple things: where people can vote (location), what time the polls close and a reason they should vote (motivation).

4. Track and Follow Up

As election day progresses, campaigns track who has voted (through poll data and volunteer check-ins) and follow up with those who haven’t. This is called “chase” — and it can make a real difference in close races.

Why SMS Has Become the Backbone of Modern GOTV?

Consider how we interact with one another now. Think about the number of emails you have in your inbox. Consider how many messages you have scrolling through your social feeds. Think about how hard it is to coordinate volunteers to go door-to-door. On the other hand, think of the open rates for text messages. SMS has become an under-the-radar, extremely effective tool used in a congressional candidate’s Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) campaign. 

There are two types of outreach methods to achieve this in a political environment:

Broadcast SMS (Mass Texting)

1. A campaign can send one single GOTV message to thousands of supporters at once. This is an effective means of reminding people to vote, letting them know where to vote, or simply nudging them to go vote on election day. This method is cost-effective and very fast, allowing the campaign to reach its entire list within a matter of minutes as opposed to many days.

Peer-to-Peer Texting (P2P)

2. Peer-to-peer texting is another effective GOTV method in that this form of outreach makes use of a more personal approach. Volunteers can send and receive P2P texts on a texting platform for one voter at a time, which provides a more personal experience for those receiving the texts versus receiving one mass text. All responses from voters are sent back to the volunteer, who can answer any questions the voter may have, including the voter’s polling place information, or simply have a conversation.

P2P texting has proven to have a higher contact rate compared to one mass text compared to one mass text, however, P2P texting requires a higher number of volunteers to be effective. Many campaigns utilize both forms of outreach: the campaign utilizes broadcast SMS to contact a wide audience, while they use peer-to-peer texting to contact targeted high-priority and low-propensity voter groups.

GOTV Texting in the USA: What You Need to Know About Compliance

Texting for political purposes in the U.S. is regulated by strict guidelines. The FCC regulations and TCPA define how campaigns can call voters by texting. Failing to follow the rules can not only lead to embarrassment but also pose large legal risks.

Here are some key points to know about:

• 10DLC Registration: If your campaign sends bulk SMS messages in the United States, then you must register your phone numbers through the 10DLC (or, 10-Digit Long Code) registration process. This is a carrier level compliance requirement and is not optional.

• Opt-in Requirements: Voters must have either shown an interest or given their consent to receive calls from you via their cell phones. A voter file alone may not be sufficient in satisfying the TCPA rules regarding sending automated messages via SMS. Consult your legal counsel with respect to your individual situation.

• Time-of-Day Rules: Do not send text messages to recipients before 8:00 AM (in the recipient’s local time zone) or after 9:00 PM (in the recipient’s local time zone).

• Opt-out: Each SMS broadcast must contain a clear method of allowing recipients to opt-out from receiving further texts from you (i.e. send STOP to unsubscribe). This should be done automatically by your network provider.

Working with a compliant SMS provider who handles both the 10DLC registration and the opt-out function will help relieve your team of the compliance burdens, so that you can focus more on your campaign and less on compliance.

A Simple GOTV SMS Timeline That Works

Here’s a basic SMS GOTV schedule that campaigns of all sizes have used successfully:

Timing	Message Type
5 days out	Early voting reminder with polling location + hours
2 days out	Personal reminder — why this election matters
Day before	“Don’t forget — polls open tomorrow” message
Election morning	Final nudge — polls close at [time], make your voice heard
Afternoon chase	P2P texts to non-voters: “Have you voted yet? Polls close at [time]”

Running a GOTV Campaign? Your SMS Platform Matters

While many SMS Marketing platforms were designed as a retail promotion or as a restaurant coupon, they were not necessarily designed to work well with political campaigns. As such you will run into issues when using one of these providers for a GOTV effort, from having issues registering your 10DLC numbers to having issues managing the volume of text messages associated with a large scale GOTV effort.

ZeepText provides specifically created sms for nonprofit and political organizations. Step by Step 10DLC registration with clear and easy to understand pricing, no monthly fees, and the ability to communicate with your entire list of supporters within a few minutes (less than 30 minutes).

If your planning your GOTV effort and are looking for an sms solution that is ready to go when election season arrives, ZeepText is definitely worth looking into. You will be able to top off anytime and communicate from day one; contracts or per-seat fees.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the meaning of GOTV?

GOTV is the acronym for Get Out The Vote. It describes a series of organized efforts made by political parties, candidates, and other civic organizations to urge registered voters to go out and vote on Election Day.

What is GOTV in politics?

GOTV refers to the final effort of a political campaign to mobilize its supporters in the 72 to 96 hours leading up to the election. The campaign targets those supporters who are registered to vote but may not vote regularly through efforts using phone calls, door-to-door canvassing, text messaging, and other forms of outreach to convince them to vote.

How do you run a GOTV campaign?

You should begin with your voter file and identify those supporters that have a low probability of voting. Reach them through multiple forms of outreach, including SMS reminders, phone calls, and door knocks in the days leading up to the election. On Election Day, make sure to follow up with all of your identified supporters that have not yet voted.

What is peer-to-peer texting in GOTV?

Peer-to-peer texting is a volunteer-driven outreach effort to send individual addressed text messages to registered voters using an approved texting platform. Sending individual messages versus a broadcast SMS campaign is designed to create a more personal outreach effort. Additionally, peer-to-peer text messaging typically has higher response rates than broadcast SMS, and it is generally best utilized for high-priority/critical targets and supporters.

Is SMS effective for GOTV campaigns?

Yes, SMS is very effective for getting people out to vote (GOTV) in elections due to its high (98%) open rate and that most people read their messages within a few minutes of receiving them. Since a 3-to-5-hour period can be critical time-sensitive access to voters, SMS has more reach and speed than any other channel available today.

Do I need 10DLC registration to text voters in the USA?

Yes, if you are sending mass text messages to voters in the USA, you must register under the 10DLC rule. This is a requirement at the carrier level; any communications sent without it will likely be filtered or blocked by the carrier before reaching your intended audience of voters.

When should GOTV texting start before election day?

Most campaigns will actually begin their text messaging campaigns to get out the vote (GOTV) at least 5 days before the election by sending early voting reminders, then again 2 days prior, once 1 day prior, and then the day of the election with the last con- tact of high priority, non-voters receiving personal, follow-up contact the afternoon of election day.