At Vote Forward, our core mission is to rigorously test voter mobilization tactics so we can find out what actually works to boost turnout in key elections. We’re also committed to transparently sharing those results, no matter what they are.
The results from 2024 are clear: While letter writing does still boost turnout, its impact is getting smaller in some races and among some voter groups.
That’s why we’re expanding our work and launching a multi-year plan to test new, evidence-driven tactics that have the potential to be the next big thing in voter mobilization. This cycle, tactics we’ll be testing include:
- Person-to-person digital organizing, including authentic conversations with individual voters that volunteers meet through online communities and digital platforms.
- Relational organizing using remote-contact tools for ongoing, personalized engagement between volunteers and voters.
- Distributed canvassing, which includes training volunteers to lead their own canvasses and test new approaches.
- New twists on letter writing, like two-way contact that invites voters to respond to volunteers to get more involved.
Each of these approaches will be tested with the same scientific rigor that has made our letter-writing program one of the most effective turnout strategies ever tried.
We’re not interested in chasing fads—instead, we’re working to answer one critical question: What actually works to help with the elections that matter most to the future of our democracy?
But testing takes time, resources, and most of all, community.
