Tactic 2: Postcards
The Sleeper Hit of 2024 Voter Registration Campaigns
Your grandma’s favorite way to say “hello” just helped Democrats win youth votes nationwide.
Overview
We weren’t even planning on postcards being a thing. They were a last-minute add-on, a “why not, let’s try it” move. Think of them as the understudy who unexpectedly nails the performance (every theater kid’s dream).
Postcard campaigns in 2024 generated thousands of net registrations and votes at an even lower cost per vote than the pre-filled mailers. While these results came from programs that were specifically targeting states with simple online registration systems (more on that later), postcard campaigns were still extremely effective, especially among young voters.
Strategy & Methodology
Similar in purpose to the pre-filled registration mailers, postcards were sent to targeted individuals in states with sophisticated and simple-to-use online registration options.
These postcards had:
Candidate- or cause-based insights relevant to the recipient’s region.
QR codes that linked directly to online registration resources.
Personalized information for each voter.
Postcards were only utilized in states with more robust online registration options, as this is unavailable or unfriendly to the basic user in many states.
What We Learned
When paired with strong registration programs, postcards generate strong turnout in vital demos.
While this is a less groundbreaking trend, with a smaller group than pre-filled mailers, these programs still outperformed control groups by a significant margin. They are not intended to be a substitute for more robust programs, but are a healthy and cost-effective addition when targeting voters in applicable states.
The Receipts
Postcards came in small but mighty:
$59.75
Cost per net registration
$81.33
Cost per net vote
$162.66
Cost per net Democratic vote (NDV)
Compared to other voter registration methods, this was insanely cost-effective.
Why They Worked
Postcards were short, sweet, did the job efficiently, and were sent to the right people.
Smart targeting
We only sent them in states where online registration was smooth and simple. There’s no point in mailing a postcard to someone who’d have to fax in their application (yes, that’s still a thing).
Actually useful info
Meaningful, actionable info like local details and messaging tailored to their demographic. It wasn’t some cookie-cutter junk about how they should vote, it was guidance on how to vote.
Zero friction
QR codes straight to registration. Scan, tap, sign, done.
Why They Worked
Here’s where postcards really nailed it:
18–20 year-olds
Perfect for first-timers. For young people who rarely get mail in the first place, there’s a chance this is one of the first times a political organization has ever bothered to reach out. That matters to people.
21–30 year-olds
These folks were less excited to register, sure, but the postcards had a measurable impact on getting them to the polls.
In total: 4,300+ net registrations and 3,100+ net votes for the youth voter demo. From postcards.
For programs that were tacked on at the end of an election cycle, postcards delivered extremely well with young voters and contributed to the overall trend of youth voter turnout being driven by Civitech solutions.
Net Registrations
Net Registrations
What’s the Key Takeaway Here?
Postcards aren’t the headliner, and they are useful under specific circumstances (in our case, states with simple online registration options). But they were surprisingly effective, especially with youth voters. Like the indie band that opens the festival and suddenly has everyone screaming the lyrics.
They’re not replacing pre-filled forms (mailers are our flagship, come on), but they’re a killer opening act that sets the stage.
They’re also an excellent reminder that sometimes, it’s the smallest outreach that makes the biggest impact.
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