Get out the recovery vote!
Did you know that the 168 million Americans that voted in the 2016 elections only make up half of the total population eligible to vote? GOTV or Get Out The Vote campaigns are strategies to help increase voter turnout. There are many ways you can ‘Get out the Recovery Vote’ on Election Day as an individual.
‘Get Out the Recovery Vote’ simply means encouraging your recovery peers, family, allies and supporters of recovery to go to the polls with reminders.
Get out the Vote efforts are common the week or two before Election Day. These efforts can be made by an individual like yourself, or part of a more coordinated campaign. There may even be some local non-profit organizations that work on issues you care about that may be already doing GOTV efforts. Take some time to research and ask local organizations that work on recovery issues what they plan to do to mobilize people in recovery around Election Day.
Below, you will find sample communications you can use as a guide in your Get out the Vote effort for a variety of different Get out the Vote (GOTV) strategies.
Strategy 1
Put up a Yard Sign to inspire others to Vote Recovery.
Here is a Vote Recovery yard sign image you can download and provide a local yard sign company top make your own sign. This will be a great conversation starter and an avenue for direct voter contact. Great conversation starters with your neighbors and community about why you care about recovery and why you are voting.
Strategy 2
Email communications to remind people of Election Day.
Many local organizations may send out a reminder to their email network to vote. This is one of the more common strategies and can also be done by individuals. Prior to Election Day, make a list of people (with their emails) in , and out, of your recovery network. Craft a message to let them know what is important to you as a recovery voter by using this template.
Strategy 3
Social Media Posts
Let others know you are planning to Vote Recovery on Election Day. You can even pair this with a photo of you after you have voted because after you vote, it is common to receive an “I Voted” sticker from your polling place. Get creative. Go live on Facebook or Instagram, post a poll on Facebook and see if your friends and family know where their polling place is, share this resource online. You can also download and post any of the graphics we’ve created below.
Use on Facebook & Instagram
Use on Facebook & Instagram
Use on Facebook & Instagram
Strategy 4
Phone Banking or Door-to-Door Canvassing
Many professional campaigns organize Get out the Vote efforts by calling voters on Election Day to be sure they have cast their vote. You may be working with a non-profit that has a list of members or you can call your personal list. The script below can be adjusted for both. To download a comprehensive guide on how to manage a coordinated organized Phone Bank (or Door to Door canvass) go here.