ASOP Workshop: GOTV and Election Day Activities

GOTV and Election Day Activities

From Voter Identification to Election Day Execution

What does it take to turn months of campaign preparation into an organized, effective Election Day operation?

Identifying supporters is only part of the process. Campaigns must also understand their voter universe, establish realistic turnout goals, organize precinct-level activities, maintain accurate voter records, and coordinate the people and resources needed to carry out their Election Day plans.

Join Rick Tyler, Director of the Advanced School of Politics , for this one-hour online workshop on planning, organizing, and executing Get Out the Vote (GOTV) and Election Day activities. Tyler previously served as Communications Director for Ted Cruz's presidential campaign, Press Secretary to Speaker Newt Gingrich, and a political contributor to NBC News.

Drawing on the principles outlined in the GOTV and Election Day Activities study guide, Tyler will examine the essential components of a comprehensive turnout operation, from understanding voter history and precinct geography to organizing volunteers, coordinating voter contact, and preparing for Election Day.

Participants will explore how campaigns obtain and maintain voter lists, establish measurable precinct goals, conduct voter identification, and use door-to-door canvassing, phone banking, and other outreach methods to maintain contact with identified supporters.

The workshop will also cover absentee ballot programs, Election Day staffing, poll workers and watchers, transportation assistance, headquarters communications, and procedures for monitoring turnout as polls remain open.

Special attention will be given to accurate recordkeeping, understanding applicable election laws, responding to operational challenges, and conducting post-election evaluations that strengthen future campaign efforts.

What You'll Learn

• How to define a campaign's voter universe using election laws, historical turnout, voter information, geography, and local issues
• How to calculate vote goals and establish measurable objectives for individual precincts
• How to understand the geographic organization of elections, from counties and precincts to neighborhoods and individual blocks
• How to obtain, analyze, organize, and maintain accurate voter lists
• How to use voting history and voter identification information to understand turnout patterns
• How to distinguish voter identification, persuasion, and GOTV activities
• How door-to-door canvassing, phone banking, neighbor-to-neighbor postcards, and text messaging fit into a voter-contact program
• How to prepare a Voter Election Guide containing registration information, voting deadlines, absentee ballot procedures, and other essential details
• How absentee ballot programs operate, including applications, status tracking, follow-up, and ballot return procedures
• How to establish campaign timelines, recruit volunteers, assign responsibilities, and organize precinct-level operations
• How to prepare Election Day poll workers, poll watchers, phone banks, transportation assistance, and headquarters communications
• How to monitor turnout, compare participation with precinct goals, and respond to operational problems throughout Election Day
• How to understand electioneering restrictions, voter identification requirements, provisional ballots, and poll-watcher responsibilities
• How to maintain accurate Election Day records and coordinate follow-up activities
• Why post-election debriefings, precinct analysis, volunteer appreciation, and data preservation are essential to future campaign operations

Who Should Attend:

• Campaign managers and political directors
• Field directors and campaign organizers
• GOTV coordinators and Election Day operations staff
• Precinct captains and volunteer coordinators
• Candidates and campaign staff responsible for field operations
• Poll watchers and campaign volunteers
• Political party and grassroots organization leaders
• Political professionals responsible for voter-contact programs and Election Day preparation

Why It Matters

Election Day is the culmination of months of campaign activity, but preparation alone does not guarantee that an operation will function effectively when polls open.

A campaign may have identified thousands of supporters, recruited volunteers, and invested heavily in voter outreach. Without clear responsibilities, reliable voter information, organized precinct operations, and effective communication, those efforts can become disconnected when coordination matters most.

The foundation of an effective GOTV operation is knowing the electorate. Campaigns must understand historical turnout, voting patterns, precinct geography, and the resources available to them. Accurate voter lists and clearly defined objectives allow campaign teams to measure progress, assign responsibilities, and identify operational needs before Election Day arrives.

Organization is equally important. Precinct captains, field staff, phone banks, poll watchers, transportation volunteers, and campaign headquarters must understand their roles and how information will move between them. A coordinated operation depends on clear instructions, dependable communication, and the ability to address unexpected problems.

Election Day also requires careful attention to legal procedures. Rules governing polling locations, electioneering, voter identification, provisional ballots, and poll watchers vary by jurisdiction. Campaign staff and volunteers must rely on current, authoritative election information and understand the limits of their responsibilities.

Accurate recordkeeping and ongoing assessment help campaign teams understand what is happening throughout the day. Comparing turnout information with established goals, documenting problems, and maintaining communication between precincts and headquarters provide the information needed for responsible operational decisions.

The work continues after polls close. Reviewing precinct results, evaluating field activities, updating voter records, thanking volunteers, and documenting lessons learned help campaigns preserve valuable institutional knowledge for future elections.

GOTV and Election Day Activities gives campaign managers, field organizers, and volunteers a practical framework for understanding how voter information, planning, communication, legal compliance, and Election Day coordination fit together.

The goal is to help participants approach the final stage of a campaign with greater preparation, clearer responsibilities, more reliable information, and a stronger understanding of the work required to execute an organized Election Day operation.

About the Advanced School of Politics

The Advanced School of Politics at the Leadership Institute (LI) develops high-caliber conservative leaders through comprehensive political education courses covering campaign management, political strategy, communications, fundraising, and nonprofit operations.

The Advanced School of Politics offers a suite of six expansive, multi-day courses, each led by seasoned professionals with decades of experience in their respective fields:

Campaign Leadership College (CLC): This nine-day program is LI's most ambitious educational endeavor to date. Its purpose is to forge campaign managers capable of steering high-stakes political campaigns.

Candidate Development School (CDS): The esteemed CDS is a three-day intensive course designed for current and prospective political candidates. Its goal is to provide a foundation for a successful electoral pursuit and public service career.

Candidate Management School (CMS): Modeled after the CLC but with a narrower focus and shorter duration, the four-day CMS is engineered for campaign managers intent on securing electoral victories.

Campaign Fundraising School (CFS): Over a four-day period, the CFS prepares participants with the acumen to secure significant financial support essential for winning campaigns.

Comprehensive Fundraising Training (CFT): Tailored for professionals in the nonprofit sector, this three-day course is designed to augment fundraising capabilities for conservative NGOs and nonprofits.

Conservative Organizational Entrepreneur (COE): This four-day course is designed to teach participants the legal intricacies of establishing an organization, devising a fiscal plan, fundraising for startup operations, and strategizing for long-term organizational sustainability.

Located in Arlington, Virginia, the Advanced School of Politics is conveniently accessible via Metro and close to Reagan National Airport.

For an up-to-date schedule of ASOP courses, visit LearnToWin.org

Whether you are running for office, managing a campaign, directing field operations, analyzing voter data, or supporting political organizations, The Win Number will give you a practical framework for answering two essential campaign-planning questions: How many votes do we need, and where do those votes need to come from?

ABOUT | LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE

The Leadership Institute’s (LI) mission is to increase the number and effectiveness of conservative activists and leaders in the public policy process. The Institute identifies, recruits, trains, and places conservatives in government, politics, and the media. [More]