Making vote-by-mail more accessible will be increasingly important amidst coronavirus crisis

This week, the Democratic Party of Georgia (DPG) and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) are partnering to launch a massive texting campaign to encourage Georgians to fill out and return an application to vote by mail. Hundreds of volunteers will text over 1 million Georgia voters asking them to vote by mail in the upcoming presidential and state primary election. Georgia Democrats have long invested in boosting vote-by-mail turnout among unlikely voters, and this method of remote voting is increasingly important in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

The DNC and DPG built a strong campaign infrastructure early and are quickly adapting it to function digitally. For example, in late January, the DNC bought tens of millions of cell phone numbers across the country, including in Georgia, to improve voter contact. These types of early investments are paying dividends as Democrats continue to campaign under new circumstances and work to modernize our elections to protect voters.

This is the first time in the state’s history that voters have been proactively sent an application to vote by mail by the state, so many voters may be unfamiliar with the process; in 2018, only 7% of voters voted absentee by mail. However, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and with in-person voting locations closing at alarming rates, the state, along with the Democratic Party of Georgia, are encouraging all voters to vote by mail who are able.

Scott Hogan, Democratic Party of Georgia Executive Director: “This strong investment by the DNC is exactly what it will take for Democrats to win big in Georgia. Our team is putting in the work to make sure every Georgian can make their voice heard, and innovating to reach Georgians right where they are. This program means that Georgia Democrats will reach more voters than ever before — and we know that when every eligible Georgian is able to cast their ballot, Democrats will win in November.”

David Bergstein, DNC Battleground State Communications Director: “The DNC is proud to partner with the Democratic Party of Georgia and state parties across the country to implement innovative tactics like this that allow us to continue communicating with voters during this time. Some of our methods have changed, but our work to defeat Trump and help Democrats win at every level is advancing strongly.”