In 2023, Virginia Democrats were aiming to flip the House of Delegates from red to blue and defend their majority in the State Senate. Stones’ Phones worked with the Democratic Party of Virginia to encourage nearly 200,000 voters across the state to make a plan to get to the polls. Starting with two rounds of Ballot Chase Live ID calls, we used targeted messaging to provide voting instructions to likely Absentee and Early Voters. The weekend before Election Day, we called voters with Live GOTV calls to drive in-person turnout.
We also focused specifically on the highly competitive 31st Senate District. We targeted 30,000 SD-31 voters and were ultimately successful in helping elect Russet Perry to the State Senate. Our target universe also included part of Don Scott’s district in HD-88, where he was elected on his way to being nominated for Speaker of the House.
What set this outreach apart was that we didn’t just push a stagnant GOTV message- we engaged voters by prompting them to make a plan to vote and giving them instructions on how to do it. When including these elements, we were careful not to let the script get bogged down with additional questions and unnecessary information. This succinct script was key to keeping voters on the phone to ensure they heard the message. and making the most of the available funding. That way, we could reach Virginia Democrats’ full GOTV universe within their budget. Precise universe targeting and Stones’ Phones’ effective messaging contributed to the impressive gains made by Democrats in Virginia this year.
Democrats maintained control of the State Senate and were able to flip the State House of Delegates. The Democratic majority in the House allowed the chamber to make history by nominating Don Scott as the commonwealth’s first Black Speaker of the House. The success of this year’s Democratic campaigns in Virginia forecasts continued gains against extremist Republicans in 2024. To learn more about how Live ID calls can help your state legislature, contact us today!