field, grassroots organizing & direct voter contact
TRANSCRIPT
Field, Grassroots Organizing&
Direct Voter Contact
Pre-Qualification Opportunities
• Capitalize on signature gathering efforts• Utilize partners and partner data• Create coordination systems and accountability• Ongoing development of your voter file/data• Educate and ID Voters• Don’t just wait for opponents to qualify
Planning your Field Campaign
Field Impacts:
3-5% Margin Statewide
5-10% Margin for Municipalities
If it isn’t written down, it doesn’t exist.
• Learn before you write
• Measure your results
• Detail every activity: time, date, location
Managing Limited Resources
People TimeMoney
©
Elements of a Field Plan
Political Landscape
Targeting Info and Vote Goals
Voter Contact Program
Data Management Plan
Timeline/CalendarBudget
Targeting: The Basics Identifying your target audience is at
the heart of grassroots organizing. Identify new voters to increase your
margin of victory
How many votes does it take to win? GOAL: Expected Vote X 50% of the
vote + 1Comfortable Margin of Victory is 52%
Target ChartSupport
Turn
out
Base Vote Persuadable Voters
Opposition Voters
Always Vote
Sometimes Vote
Never Vote D F F
F
FPersuasion
AGOTV Persuasion #2
C A
B/C
Basic Elements of Voter Contact
Targeting – Identifying your voters
Voter File – Tracking voters
Direct Voter Contact – Reaching out to Voters through direct communication. ID the ones that support you and get them to the polls!
Types of Targeted Voters
Base/Supportive Voters GOAL: Maximize turnout
Persuadable Voters GOAL: Move to them to your position
Opposition Voters GOAL: Figure out who they are, where they live
and never go there!!!
Targeting and DataThe more information on your voter file,
the more targeted your universes can be!
Geographic – urban, suburban, rural Demographic – party id, race, gender,
age Precinct data Polling Commercial Data/Modeling Data communicating with voters
Common Direct Voter Contact Tactics
ID and Educate Voters via: Canvassing Mail Phones Online Constituency Organizing
Avoid Wild and Crazy Ideas
Grasstop and Influential Organizing Identify “grasstop” leaders and
“influentials” Organize “grasstop” leaders when
looking for endorsements Target community leaders or
“influentials” “Influentials” create positive word-of-
mouth persuasion Develop program to ID and engage
“influentials”
Is a Vote By Mail (VBM) Program Right for Your Campaign?
Cost-benefit analysis Use volunteers wherever you can Be realistic High-end program/low-end program If you can’t afford a good VBM program,
don’t waste your time.
Get Out The Vote: Plan from Day 1
Encourage Early Voting and Vote by
ID GOTV Targets
Organize your data and make
lists
Organize volunteers
Plan transportation and communications
Determine Tools and Tactics
Implementing Field Tactics
Details Matter: Time, People, Money Numbers have to be real (no street
money) Local faces, Local Messengers Professional and Accountable
Operations Get the Data! Use the Data! Plan to use Field, Don’t wait to Plan
Field
AND REMEMBER. . .
Go!Fight!Win!
Lewis GranofskyFieldWorks
2528 Connecticut Ave NWWashington, DC202-667-4400