How to write a letter to get out the vote
Many of us are encouraged to vote throughout our lives. And not all of them convince us to act. How do we move through exhaustion, overwork, disillusionment, distrust, and a huge list of priorities to get to the polls?
One answer: getting an authentic, heartfelt letter. Simply put, Vote Forward has conducted multiple studies since 2017 and found that getting a handwritten letter on voting increases voter turnout. Plus, it doesn't take long (just a paragraph!), can be done on your own, and creates space to practice telling your story.
Action Corner
MJN is adopting voters through Vote Forward’s non-partisan social campaigns to participate in the art of letter writing as a creative practice that is proven to support voter turnout. If you’d like to learn how it works and write letters of your own, feel free to reach out to us!
What are the hallmarks of an effective letter?
We’re all searching for authenticity in a world saturated with branded messages. The same applies in civic engagement. Vote Forward research suggests that people resonate with authentic and personal experiences about how voting impacts you or someone in your life. And they can tell when you care and have put time into your message to them. Here's what this practically looks like:
Nonpartisan! Instead of being told to who vote for, they’re encouraged by why you vote.
Specific: They often focus on one specific experience and specific places, rather than general statements or political issues. They might also be place based.
Expressing feelings, not facts, as a path of unity. We all have experienced emotions like hope, fear, love, anxiety, and relief. Sharing emotions can help you connect with people that may be very different from you. We also know that facts don't usually inspire action.
They firstly, focus on the writer. It can be easy to get distracted by what you think will land well on your audience. But the truth is, you won't know your audience, and focusing on them can cause you to lose focus on your own personal story.
They secondly focus on the reader. Before you call it a day, read for accessibility. Avoid using jargon, acronyms, or language that creates distance or separate you from your reader. These types of language will change with the times, but examples might be stories that focus on specific religions or very political phrases. Consider asking others for input.
Handwritten & mailed: You’ll be adding handwritten messages on printable templates. Each letter is specific for a voter, so you’ll need access to a printer; templates can’t be photocopied. The letters are mailed in envelopes with stamps: no emails or postcards!
Little gifts like voting-themed items inside an envelope along with a letter are appreciated.
Writing tips
Truthful stories require us to share some personal details. This isn’t easy, but it's the best way somebody on the other end can be confident that you’re a real person. Use this is an opportunity to practice sharing your truths — something that not all of us have had space to do in our lives. Here are some prompts to get you right in:
Why do you vote? “I vote because…”
What specific personal experience on your journey brought you to the voting booth? “My journey to the polls started when…”
How does voting make you feel? Or how do the personal experiences that brought you to the voting booth make you feel?
And all of these can be restructured if you're under the voting age. “I’m not old enough to vote, but will vote…” ; My journey to the polls started… I may not be able to vote yet but…”
Vote Forward examples
I vote because I want my representatives to take action to protect our environment. I almost had to evacuate my house last summer because a wildfire was burning just a couple of miles away. In the past few years I've lived here in California, these fires have been getting bigger and scarier, and sometimes I can't even leave my house because the air is so thick with smoke. It makes me feel glad to see that my representative in Congress is taking action against these climate-related disasters, so that future generations won't have to feel the same fear that I did.
I vote because I was diagnosed with cancer in 2017. It was very scary, but I felt lucky that, because of federal healthcare reform, I had health insurance that paid for my treatment. Now that I'm in remission, if I'm ever between jobs, I'll be able to get insurance only because the law protects people like me with pre-existing conditions. When I vote, I make sure to support candidates who support these policies that have been important to me and so many of my friends and loved ones.
I vote because my partner and I were so happy when we were able to buy a run-down house on the edge of a huge regional park. It took us 20 years to fix it up, but we did. Then the wildfires ramped up and being on the edge of a wilderness became a hazard rather than a joy. We had to evacuate our beloved home, along with our three cats, three separate times this summer, and impose on friends to take us in. Luckily, our house is still here. I want to elect government leaders who are committed to climate-friendly policies and protecting our environment.
I vote because my wife owns her own small business and she relied upon government support during the pandemic to help keep her business running. It was a scary time when she had no work coming in and we didn't know what was going to happen in the future. I vote for local, state, and national leaders who will work to ensure that small businesses are able to survive challenging times like these.
