For example, before our canvassing effort for Senator Chris Elliott, voters at the homes we planned to visit received a text message featuring a short video from one of our canvassers, Aubreigh. The response was remarkable. Many voters were excited to see a canvasser at their door letting them know Senator Elliott wanted their feedback, and immediately asked whether the canvasser was a friend of Aubreigh’s. When Aubreigh herself arrived at the door, the reactions were even more enthusiastic. We frequently heard comments such as, “I can’t believe you texted me and now you’re actually here!”

The key is making it clear that we are there to listen to voters and report their concerns, questions, and feedback directly to the candidate. Voters appreciate being heard, and they respond positively when they know their voices matter.

In this case, the reaction was so strong that Senator Elliott’s opponent apparently grew tired of voters asking when he would be coming to their doors. He eventually posted publicly that he was not knocking on doors. The contrast was hard to miss. Senator Elliott went on to win the election by a decisive 73% to 27% margin.

Below is the actual message that was sent to voters. You can also click on the video to see the approach in action.