Is phonebanking effective? 4 reasons why we believe it is
The last couple of years have left us without the option to meet or gather, and many of us are eager to get back to doing things in person, like door-to-door canvassing. While we all know that door knocking is great, you might be surprised to learn that phonebanking is also extremely useful when it comes to persuading, educating, and recruiting people. Here are four reasons why we believe phonebanking is a reliable method for supporting our work — check out the full list below, and then make sure to RSVP now for an upcoming phonebanking party (or two!) and help us do the work to win this November:
- High volume, high impact
You might assume that being able to call hundreds of people in an hour is the main benefit phonebanking has over canvassing, but that’s just the start. By being able to call such a large number of people, (even with a small number of volunteers) we can quickly clean up our lists and move forward with better knowledge about who supports our candidates. In addition, calling a house phone means we have the potential to reach the entire household with one phone call.
- We won’t leave anyone behind
We know that the midterms are extremely important, and that’s why we can’t leave anyone out. Phone calls allow us to reach rural voters and communities of color that are often inaccessible by other methods of voter outreach. Texting is great, but there are so many people who don’t have cell phone plans that allow unlimited messages, there are many people who fall victim to scams over text and therefore don’t respond, and there are people who simply rely on landlines more than cell phones. Cell phones in rural areas sometimes have trouble with connectivity, and it can take hours to canvass an entire rural community. Phone banking allows us to access voters who would normally slip through the cracks in other areas.
- User friendly!
The digital divide is a real issue that people across all ages and communities face. Texting can be complicated and there’s a learning curve for even the most tech-savvy people. Phonebanking allows us to rely on scripts while still maintaining 1:1 connections and meaningful conversations with a real person on the other end.
- More contacts = stronger turnout
People often need more than one contact in order to be persuaded or motivated to vote. This means that not only do we need to canvass and text, but we need to call also. With just 20 volunteers, we can make over 1,000 calls in two hours! This high volume allows us to make multiple attempts during the election cycle to ensure we don’t miss potential voters.
With all this in mind, we’re extending an invitation to you and your friends to join us at our upcoming phonebank parties. Take a look at the list below and sign up for the ones that work for your schedule.
Deep Canvassing Phonebank to Conflicted Pro-Choice Voters (West) Thursday, September 29 at 8pm Eastern Time/5pm Pacific Time https://indivisible.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErcOoqD0pGNU2RBikIfq13DW2fGeUL9SU
National Phonebank — Call Out The Vote for Mandela Barnes, John Fetterman & Matt Cartwright Sunday, October 2 at 2pm Eastern Time/11am Pacific Time https://indivisible.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYtdu2gqjstH9ylODIF-OyR1PjOoKWGxUjM
National Phonebank — Call Out The Vote for Mark Kelly & Jevin Hodge Tuesday, October 11 at 6pm Eastern Time/3pm Pacific Time https://indivisible.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApf-CpqDojHd1WX_ZR47LlnEgqTkSfzLG6
National Phonebank — Call Out The Vote for Jamie McLeod-Skinner Sunday, October 16 at 5pm Eastern Time/2pm Pacific Time https://indivisible.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcpduGoqTgsHNKEiLnycJEBX_il2tE3auOK
Deep Canvassing Phonebank to Conflicted Pro-Choice Voters (Central/East) Tuesday, October 18 at 5pm Eastern Time/2pm Pacific Time https://indivisible.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcscuiqqjIsE9fQ47ohBMxGQFHqrHN-Gmbf
National Phonebank — Call Out The Vote for Raphael Warnock Tuesday, October 25 at 6pm Eastern Time/3pm Pacific Time https://indivisible.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUoduyqqj0tEtbT0KdoQa0qFk74HmeX_rHK
Deep Canvassing Phonebank to Conflicted Pro-Choice Voters (West) Thursday, October 27 at 8pm Eastern Time/5pm Pacific Time https://indivisible.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcscGgqjMpHdw1T12iVWpUSu_koMX0asoa
National Phonebank — Call Out The Vote for Mandela Barnes Tuesday, November 1 at 6pm Eastern Time/3pm Pacific Time https://indivisible.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEvcOGhrDIrEtQckOH3A7wPehDR9uKKUaF7
National Phonebank — Call Out The Vote for Katie Porter Sunday, November 6 at 4pm Eastern Time/1pm Pacific Time https://indivisible.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZItdeioqDstGtWvpxSC234IJcG25qR07yWh
We can’t wait to host you and your friends at our upcoming phonebanking parties! See you soon!
