Introduction
In many seats, elections are decided less by dramatic swings and more by which side is better at mobilising the voters who already broadly agree with them. This is particularly true in local elections, which typically attract significantly lower turnout than general elections.
When turnout is low, relatively small differences in mobilisation can decide the outcome. Campaigns that systematically identify supporters and remind them to vote can therefore gain a decisive advantage.
Effective Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) operations rely on accurate voter identification, consistent follow-up, and repeated contact over time. This briefing outlines the practical tactics campaigns can use to maximise turnout among their supporters.
How to Run an Effective GOTV Operation
1. Identify Your Supporters Early
Conventional wisdom often pushes campaigns to focus on either high-propensity voters or low-propensity voters. But the data tells a different story: the best results are achieved by targeting middle-propensity voters, with a 40-60% likelihood of voting. Most political parties have access to the marked register, which can be used to target precisely.
Your turnout strategy should also respond to your local context. If you have a large and active operation, you can cast a wider net. If your operation is more constrained, prioritise key locations by combining data and local knowledge.
Doorstep canvassing in US campaigns sees an average 1.5% Increase in turnout. Evidence indicates that the quality of voter ID data is important. Good turnout operations begin months in advance with systematic voter identification. Every conversation should aim to gather usable information about voting intention, likelihood to vote, and the issues that matter most locally.
Canvassing focused on concrete local issues tends to generate stronger engagement than abstract national questions. Canvassing materials should include feedback mechanisms such as QR codes, short links, or reply slips that allow supporters to self-identify.
2. Help Supporters Make a Plan to Vote
One of the most effective turnout nudges is encouraging voters to make a concrete plan for when they will vote.
Instead of simply asking someone to vote, campaigns can ask practical questions such as:
• When do you think you’ll go to vote?
• Will you vote before or after work?
• Do you know where your polling station is?
Even brief prompts like these increase the likelihood that someone follows through. This can be done on the doorstep or through text replies, or online tools. Simple prompts encourage people to verbalise their intention, making them more likely to follow through.
Phonebanking is a good way to do this. In the UK context, GDPR and data protection rules make cold-calling more complex than in some other countries. Conversations should be short, friendly, and practical. Ask whether they are still planning to vote, whether they know where their polling station is, and whether they would like a reminder on polling day. The primary advantage of phonebanking is the ability to engage activists who may not be able to participate in other forms of campaigning. There is evidence from the US that phonebanking can be highly effective. Although the UK context is considerably different, motivated and skilled activists can still contribute to GOTV.
3. Remind Supporters to Vote
Research suggests text message GOTV alerts may be the most effective way to remind people to vote. However, getting those phone numbers in the first place, especially with GDPR regulations, remains a significant hurdle.
Evidence indicates the most important messages should be short, personalised where possible, and focused on practical information such as polling hours or location details. Clarity, simplicity, and directness are more effective than informational or story-based framing.
This tool SMS Vote Reminder is built by Campaign Lab volunteers, can help to remind voters to turn out. Consider sharing it in friendly local groups and communities.
Research suggests the most effective reminder messages are short, practical, and framed positively. Messages should prioritise useful information, such as polling hours or location, before asking the voter to take any action.
Messages can also incorporate gentle social cues, such as noting that many people locally are planning to vote, which has been shown to increase turnout. Here are some useful templates.
The timing of voter reminders matters as much as the content. Evidence shows that GOTV messages are significantly more effective when delivered close to polling day. Messages sent weeks in advance tend to have little impact.
Campaigns should therefore concentrate their mobilisation activity during the final stretch of the campaign:
• Two weeks out: final voter identification and supporter contact
• One week out: begin targeted reminders to known supporters
• Final 3 days: intensify GOTV activity across all channels
• Polling day: reminders, polling station information, and last-minute mobilisation
Focusing activity in this window helps ensure messages arrive when voters are most likely to act on them.
Our research indicates that in many cases print has only a modest direct effect on increasing turnout. Further experiments suggest this remains true even when content is tailored to a hyperlocal level. In our own testing, the only print intervention in our research that showed a measurable positive effect on turnout was a postcard featuring recognisable local landmarks. The increase in turnout was just under 1%. While small, margins like this can be decisive in close local elections, where victories are often decided by a handful of votes.
Evidence indicates that email is not an effective way to mobilise your voters. However if you have generated leads from campaigning which you can use then the low cost makes it worth engaging. Try to keep GOTV emails short, specific, and action-focused. They should reference the ward, the candidate, or the concrete stakes of the election and clearly explain what the recipient needs to do.
4. Reinforce Turnout Through Social Networks
Research consistently shows that people are significantly more likely to vote when contacted by someone they already know and trust. Mobilisation effects spill over within households, and being messaged by a friend measurably increases turnout likelihood. Yet many supporters hesitate to raise politics with friends and family. They underestimate their own influence, feel awkward about starting political conversations, or assume others are not interested. Evidence from the 2024 general election indicates the changing picture in relational mobilisation.
In a political environment where trust in institutions is low, trusted peers often matter more than formal campaign communications. Stories are often more powerful than policy arguments and shared experiences, family history, and personal memories anchor political choices in lived reality.
For turnout specifically, the relational ask can be simple and practical. Checking whether someone plans to vote, offering to go together, or promising to send a reminder can be more effective than any leaflet.
A simple ask such as: “Could you remind three friends to vote on Thursday?” can expand the reach of turnout operations beyond the campaign’s own contact lists.
Campaigns should actively encourage supporters to think intentionally about who they could remind to vote. A small number of peer-to-peer reminders, delivered with care and authenticity, can significantly increase turnout.
Conclusion
Turnout operations rarely rely on a single tactic. Research consistently shows that the most effective campaigns combine multiple reminders delivered through different channels such as canvassing, relational contact, SMS, and print. Most GOTV interventions have modest effects individually, often increasing turnout by around 1–2%, but when combined across multiple channels they can decisively influence close local elections.
Successful GOTV campaigns therefore depend on organisation and persistence. By systematically identifying supporters, maintaining regular contact, and making it easy for people to vote, campaigns can ensure that voters who already broadly agree with them actually make it to the ballot box.
This guide is one of six short briefings designed to help progressive campaigners build effective local campaigns. You can explore the full Winning in May series for more practical guides, tools and research.