What is Relational Organizing?
Relational organizing means using the power of your relationships to get the people you know to take action– in this case, to vote! We can take responsibility for making sure that our friends and family vote by calling, or texting, or DM'ing, them before an election. Research proves that this is an enormously effective tactic for boosting voter turnout.
Why Relational Organizing
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Messengers Matter: You are the most powerful messenger for your community! This is about TRUST and social pressure. If you got a call from a campaign organizer asking you to vote, it would be easier for you to ignore it than if your best friend texted you and asked you about voting. You are more trusted by your peers than any campaign or ACLU staff member. To put simply, your influence matters more than a stranger’s.
- More Conversations: Folks are less likely to pick up the phone for an unknown number— even one with your area code— than they are to pick up a call from their parents or a friend. Research shows, there is a 95% contact rate with friend-to-friend outreach as opposed to the general 20% contact rate from a campaign or organization. Think about it this way: if you are hosting a party, you would reach out to invite your friends, you wouldn't have a stranger who doesn't know them call them!
- Higher Turnout: Relational organizing reaches more non-voters. Not all of your friends and family are voters so their info is harder to get for traditional phonebanking or canvassing. You might even register new voters! This also speaks to the power of the messenger– a random volunteer won’t have the same connection as you do with someone who may be disinterested in voting. Research proves that this is an enormously effective tactic. A conversation between people who know each other is 2.5x more effective at driving voter turnout than a conversation between strangers.
Need some help getting started? Check out our conversation guide on talking to your people about voting!
