David, Defeating Trump in 2020 came down to fewer than 44,000 voters in Georgia, Arizona, and Wisconsin -- not enough to fill your average football stadium. Control of the House in 2022? It came down to 7,000 votes in five districts. And despite the fact that Trump tried to violently overthrow the government, was found legally liable for sexual abuse, faces 91 criminal charges, and is promising a second term defined by autocracy and vengeance, the 2024 election also promises to be stomach-churningly close. When elections are this close, every vote matters. And guess what? We’ve developed a tool that independent analysis suggests is more effective at turning out voters than any other GOTV tactic out there. We know a lot of folks scan these emails quickly, so let’s pull that out and repeat it: 
We’ve developed a GOTV tool right here at Indivisible that appears to be the most effective form of direct voter contact in existence. |
It’s called Neighbor2Neighbor (N2N). We believe it’ll be an absolute game changer in some of the closest House, Senate, and presidential battlegrounds, and we need your help to start deploying it where it’s most needed.
What is Neighbor2Neighbor?Neighbor2Neighbor relies on a lot of data, behavioral science research, engineering, and field testing, but the beauty is really its simplicity: - A volunteer signs up on a simple web page.
- They are given a script and assigned ten doors of target voters in their neighborhood
- They knock the doors on their own time and have 1:1 conversations about the stakes of the election
That’s it. No seriously, that’s it. There’s no app to download. No account setup required. We help activists find neighbors who share their values but might not vote every election, and they have a pleasant conversation. And if they want ten more doors, they can sign up for ten more doors. Why it works (it’s better for volunteers)Traditional canvassing gives volunteers a long list of strangers. Neighbor2Neighbor gives volunteers a short list of neighbors. This simple inversion makes our program TWICE as effective. How is that possible? Well, if you’ve ever done a traditional canvassing shift, you know it often involves driving a long distance, spending hours walking unfamiliar streets, and knocking on the doors of a lot of people who aren’t home. Conversely, with Neighbor2Neighbor: - Volunteers are able to reach every assigned door because they can circle back on their own time.
- Volunteers are asked to talk to people who share a baseline commonality: their neighborhood. This makes the voter contact a LOT less awkward and a lot more conversational. Also, we only give doors of folks who are likely to be politically aligned.
- The simple, app-free user experience for volunteers lowers the barrier to entry. People have hectic lives and have a hard time doing a four-hour canvassing shift. N2N volunteers can do a few minutes a day without having to conquer new technology or remember database logins.
So this program is great for volunteers. How great? Here’s a testimonial from a NY-03 group leader who used N2N earlier this year to help flip George Santos’s seat blue: “N2N is by far the best and most effective canvassing experience any of our volunteers have had. It’s also such a reasonable ask for anyone with a life.” |
Why it works (it’s better for getting through to voters)If you’re following politics closely, you’re probably hearing a lot about the so-called “double haters” who’ll decide this election. They’re people who aren’t super excited about either candidate, are largely disaffected with politics in general at the moment, and are distrustful of the media (they aren’t alone: trust in corporate media is at an all-time low). A lot of them actually share our values broadly but aren’t paying super close attention to what Biden has done or what’s at stake in November. The diffusion of media (people cutting the cable and opting for streaming) has already made it difficult for campaigns to reach voters through traditional means. The double hater issue means that even if campaigns get through to voters, a lot of them won’t be receptive to the message. But people are receptive to outreach from people they know or have personal connections with. Study after study has shown the persuasive power of these 1:1 conversations to break through where other tactics can’t. Not only does this program capitalize on community ties between neighbors, but it also offers a new way for progressives to forge personal relationships in their communities. Some folks withdraw from political involvement when they feel isolated. Early volunteers have recounted how they -- and the people they speak with -- are often surprised by just how many like-minded, pro-democracy people they have in their orbit. That’s good for this election -- and it will pay dividends in future organizing. Just how well does it work? Sorry to repeat ourselves here, but we’re darn proud of this: An independent study of our pilot program in 15 congressional races found Neighbor2Neighbor to be twice as effective as traditional canvassing, and more effective than TV ads, yard signs, phonebanking, or any other tactic tested. The analysis showed it has a 1.1% effect on voter turnout. That might seem like a tiny number, but here are some *actual* tiny numbers for comparison: The 2020 margin in Arizona? .3% The 2020 margin in Georgia? .2% The 2020 margin in Wisconsin? .6% So, for the nerds who really study this stuff, a 1.1% increase is HUGE. But, ultimately, how many votes that translates to will depend on how big we can scale this thing.
When can I get to work? Hopefully, we’ve gotten you excited enough about this tool that you: - Are thinking about making a donation
- Are wondering: Can I start knocking doors already?!?!
More good news: We’re just days away from launching pre-registration in presidential and Senate battlegrounds, target districts, and states with abortion measures on the ballot. By this time next week, you’ll know if we’re activating N2N in your area and how to get involved. But whether you live in a red, blue, purple, or non-state (hi DC Indivisibles), we’re going to have loads of ways for you to make a difference this election -- phonebanks, postcards, vote tripling textbanks, and more. News about all that is coming on Tuesday. But right now, we need your help to get all this funded. Progressive organizations aren’t sitting on huge reserves heading into this election -- what we raise now will determine how much we’ll be able to do to secure every vote we need to win back the House, keep the Senate, and defeat Trump. Chip in, if you can, to fund our revolutionary Neighbor2Neighbor tool and reach the voters we need in every crucial battleground >> Thanks for everything you do to bring us closer to victory. In solidarity,
Indivisible Team  | 
No comments:
Post a Comment