Get-Out-the-Vote Strategies: 7 Tactics for Local Political Campaigns

Get Out the Vote (GOTV) is one of the most crucial campaign strategies for winning elections. Whether you're running for school board or governor, a well-executed GOTV campaign can turn your supporters into actual voters and make the difference in a close race.

By the final weeks of your political campaign, you’ve built support, shared your message, and earned trust in your community. But none of it matters if your supporters don’t show up on election day. That’s why the GOTV phase of political campaigns is essential. In this guide, we’ll explain what GOTV means and break down the most successful get-out-the-vote strategies for candidates running for any office level.

What Is GOTV?

GOTV, or Get Out the Vote, refers to the final phase of a political campaign that focuses on mobilizing supporters to actually cast their ballots.

While earlier phases of a campaign focus on name recognition and persuasion, GOTV efforts are all about turning support into votes. That means calling, texting, visiting, and reminding people who already support your campaign to get to the polls.

In local elections, where turnout is often low, your ability to get out the vote can mean the difference between winning and losing. Many races are decided by just a handful of votes, and the most strategic candidates win by turning out their base, not just expanding it.

Who Should You Target in a GOTV Campaign?

You don’t need to convince every voter. You just need to mobilize your strongest supporters. 

Your targets when executing get-out-the-vote tactics should include:

• Strong Supporters: These are people who have told you they’re voting for you. Focus on confirming their plan to vote and offering help if needed.

• Low-Propensity Supporters: These folks support you but don’t always vote. With encouragement and reminders, they can make a huge difference.

• Leaners: Undecided voters may fully sway your way if you reinforce your core values and show how they align with their concerns.

Skip hard-to-reach or low-likelihood voters and double down on those already in your corner.

7 Proven Get-Out-the-Vote Strategies That Work

The most successful GOTV tactics focus on direct outreach, voter planning, and emotional motivation. Here are some strategies to incorporate into your campaign:

#1: Create a GOTV Timeline

Start early and ramp up intensity as election day approaches. A winning strategy might look like this:

• 3 weeks out: Begin identifying your supporters and confirming their voting preferences.

• 2 weeks out: Ask your supporters for detailed voting plans.

• Final week: Send reminders, offer assistance, and emphasize urgency.

• Election day: Prioritize people who haven’t voted and make real-time contact.

A clear calendar ensures that your outreach is organized and focused where it matters most.

LEARN MORE: Use our GOTV checklist to ensure you don’t miss anything. 

#2: Engage in Voting Plan Conversations

Research shows that helping people make a specific voting plan increases turnout by up to 9%. Some questions to ask supporters so they can start making a voting plan include:

• “Do you know where your polling place is?”

• “What time do you plan to vote?”

• “Will you need a ride or reminder to vote?”

• “Are you voting early or on election day?”

These conversations are simple, but they help voters visualize the act of voting, making it far more likely they’ll follow through.

#3: Leverage Texting, Calls, and Door-Knocking

You don’t need expensive tools to get out the vote, just consistency. Canvassing and digital outreach can be complex, but they’re a tried and true way to connect with voters on a deeper level and win them over. 

Some ways you should be reaching out to voters in your GOTV strategy are:

• Texts: Quick reminders with voting information and deadlines

• Phone calls: More personal, interactive follow-ups

• Canvassing: Direct interactions with voters through block walking, attending events, and phone banking

• Door hangers: Detailed campaign literature left at supporters’ homes to remind them when and where to vote and why they should vote for you

Layering your outreach through different channels boosts effectiveness and helps reach voters with varying communication preferences. Each method adds a “touch,” and the more touches, the better. Aim for three to five contacts per voter during your GOTV push.

LEARN MORE: Keep your GOTV plans on track with political campaign management software. 

#4: Tap Into Urgency and Identity

Some of the most effective Get Out the Vote examples use emotional drivers like:

• Urgency: “Polls close in 6 hours!”

• Social proof: “Your neighbors are already voting.”

• Identity: “As a parent/teacher/student, your voice matters.”

• FOMO (fear of missing out): “Don’t wake up tomorrow wishing you had voted.”

These messages tap into human psychology and help motivate action through relatable emotions and peer connection. By tapping into voters’ identity and creating a sense of urgency, your supporters may feel more seen and believe their vote has real power.

#5: Solve Voter Problems

Some people want to vote but get stuck. Each city and state handles elections differently, and some places may even make it intentionally difficult to vote. 

Some ways you can help your supporters to get to the polls include: 

• Sharing polling locations and ID requirements

• Offering rides or creating ride-share systems amongst volunteers and campaign staff

• Helping with vote-by-mail instructions

• Addressing voters’ questions and concerns

Removing obstacles is one of the most essential parts of a GOTV strategy, especially in communities that face systemic or logistical voting challenges. At this stage of your campaign, you want to do what you can to remove friction and build voters’ confidence.

LEARN MORE: Familiarize yourself with the ways voters are systemically disenfranchised so you can effectively fight against it. 

#6: Don’t Forget About Mail-In Ballots and Early Voting

If your area allows voting by mail or early voting:

• Track ballot status where possible.

• Follow up on rejected ballots to help fix issues.

• Remove voters from your list once they’ve voted.

In 2022, 31.8% of voters voted by mail and 18% voted early. Whether people in your community have work, childcare commitments, or transportation barriers on election day, you want to ensure you’re not leaving them behind in your get-out-the-vote efforts.

#7: Make Your Final Push with Election-Day GOTV Efforts

Election day is not the time to relax. It’s the time to go all in:

• Check who hasn’t voted yet and reach out multiple times.

• Offer last-minute help, rides, or encouragement.

• Track responses so you’re not wasting time on voters who’ve already turned out.

• Stay visible and active on social media to keep the momentum up.

Your election could come down to a handful of votes. Every reminder counts.

LEARN MORE: Make sure your election day runs smoothly with our election day checklist.

Real Get-Out-the-Vote Success Stories (With Stats to Back Them)

In Prince George’s County, Maryland, school board candidate Robin Brown earned 56.4% of the vote and cited door-knocking as the main reason for her victory. Canvassing helped her connect with voters in a real and human way, creating more trust and encouraging them to vote for her. 

She didn’t do it alone, either. “Anybody who was related to me, who can speak on my behalf, was canvassing with me,” she said, highlighting that you don’t necessarily need a massive budget to execute effective GOTV strategies. 

Winning a tight race for county commissioner in Emmons County, North Dakota, James Gartner also found that face-to-face interactions and asking voters to support you made a real difference. He won 50.6% of the vote and says face-to-face engagement is how he made it happen. 

“You're going to get their vote if you show up, hand them a card, shake their hand, tell them to have a great day, and ask for their support,” says Gartner. 

These are just two examples, but nearly every winning campaign relies on get-out-the-vote strategies, and for good reason. Research consistently shows these GOTV tactics work across races and communities:   

• Door-to-door campaigning can improve a candidate’s vote share by 3%. Considering local elections can sometimes hinge on only a handful of votes one way or the other, 3% is massive. 

• Personalized outreach led to a 13.2% increase in voter turnout in a Turnout Nation study. 

• Mailers utilizing social pressure led to an 8% increase in turnout. The mailers informed voters that their participation in the election process was public information. 

• Volunteer phone banking can increase voter turnout by about 2.3% on average, with higher gains (4.5%) among voters who actually answered the call and spoke with a volunteer. 

• Vote Tripling, a type of relational organizing that relies on having supporters remind three of their friends to vote, can increase voter turnout by 8.3%.

These numbers show that even small, focused actions can move the needle in a big way. When running a local or Independent campaign, get-out-the-vote strategies are essential. These proven strategies don’t require a massive budget, just intention, organization, and a commitment to follow through.

The Role of Nonprofits and Community Organizations in GOTV

While campaigns focus on their own supporters, nonprofit and civic groups play a crucial role in non-partisan GOTV efforts. These organizations help expand turnout, especially in communities often underrepresented in elections. 

Nonprofit and community organizations often engage in GOTV activities like voter drives, voter education programs, ride-share systems, and helping voters navigate voter ID laws and mail-in ballot processes.

Some well-known organizations that support get-out-the-vote efforts include:

• League of Women Voters: This group offers voter guides, hosts candidate forums, and helps voters understand election logistics nationwide.

• Vote.org: A digital-focused nonprofit that provides easy tools for checking registration, finding polling places, and requesting mail-in ballots.

• When We All Vote: Founded by Michelle Obama, this group focuses on increasing civic participation through community events, peer-to-peer outreach, and celebrity engagement.

• Rock the Vote: Known for its youth voter engagement, Rock the Vote runs voter registration drives and educational campaigns targeting first-time voters.

• State Voices: A network of state-based organizations that support grassroots partners in communities of color and underserved populations.

• Faith in Public Life: Works with faith leaders and congregations to promote voter engagement and social justice initiatives.

Partnering with these or similar organizations can amplify your message and extend your reach, particularly if you're running as an Independent or grassroots candidate.

LEARN MORE: Building coalitions and cooperating with other organizations can boost your campaign. Learn how to effectively build cooperative campaigns. 

GOTV Is How You Win 

At the end of the day, GOTV is your campaign’s closing argument. This is where all your work pays off: the conversations you’ve had with voters, the supporters you’ve earned, and the belief you’ve built in your community.

For Independent and local candidates, GOTV is your superpower. You may not have party machinery or corporate donors behind you, but you do have people. When you mobilize those people, you can out-organize and out-hustle even the best-funded campaigns.

Every door you knock.

Every reminder you send.

Every supporter you help get to the polls.

It all matters. In local races, a few dozen votes could be the difference between winning and almost winning.

At GoodParty.org, we’re here to help you make every vote count. From free texting tools and campaign strategy support to training and tech built for Independent candidates, we’ve got your back through every phase of your GOTV plan.

Photos by Yucel Moran and Jon Tyson on Unsplash