What is get out the vote?
Most of a campaign is about persuasion: finding out where voters stand and talking with people who have not decided. Get out the vote is different. In the final weeks, campaigns turn to the supporters they have already identified and help them turn intention into a ballot.
Remind
Tell supporters when Election Day is and that early voting is open.
Make a plan
Help voters find their polling place or early voting site, and settle when and how they will vote.
Follow up
Log every contact so the campaign can return to anyone who has not voted yet.
New to door knocking? Canvassing 101 walks through a sample script, including the make-a-plan-to-vote question every GOTV conversation ends with.
Why the final weeks before Nov 3 matter
- Early voting opens in October. Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa all have in-person early voting before Election Day, so every reminder in October can turn into a ballot cast that week. Exact dates are on the Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa pages.
- Midterm turnout is lower. With no presidential race on the ballot, fewer people vote, so the supporters a campaign reaches can decide a close race.
- The last four days are the biggest push. From Saturday, October 31 through Election Day, campaigns knock and call as many supporters as they can. That is when our final-weekend carpools run.
Every way to get out the vote
Pick the one that fits your weekend. Illinois is not a swing state, so Chicago volunteers help in nearby races.
Canvass carpool
Ride free from Chicago to knock doors in Wisconsin, Michigan, or Iowa. The 46th Ward Dems run final-weekend get-out-the-vote canvasses to Iowa and Michigan every day from Saturday, Oct 31 through Election Day, and an overnight early-vote trip to Iowa leaves Friday, Oct 16.
Find a canvass carpool →Phone bank
Call swing-state voters from your couch or at a calling party. Every shift starts with a training, and the dialer keeps your number private.
Find a phone bank →Postcards
Write handwritten reminders to swing-state voters at a postcard party around Chicagoland. Hosts provide the cards, addresses, and scripts.
Find a postcard party →Wisconsin →
Carpools to Kenosha, Racine, and southeast Wisconsin, 60 to 90 minutes from Chicago.
Michigan →
Carpools around the lake to southwest Michigan, including the final-weekend GOTV canvasses.
Iowa →
Drive-directly shifts in Dubuque, the overnight early-vote trip, and final-weekend GOTV canvasses.
Get out the vote FAQs
What does GOTV mean?
GOTV stands for get out the vote. It is the final phase of a campaign, when volunteers stop trying to persuade people and instead make sure supporters who already plan to vote actually cast a ballot: reminding them of the date, helping them find their polling place or early voting site, and making a plan to vote.
When is GOTV for the 2026 midterms?
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Campaigns ramp up get-out-the-vote work as early voting opens in October, and the final four days, Saturday, October 31 through Election Day, are the most intense stretch.
How can I help get out the vote from Chicago?
Operation Swing State runs free carpools from Chicago to knock doors in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa, including final-weekend get-out-the-vote canvasses to Iowa and Michigan from October 31 through November 3. You can also join a phone bank from home or at a calling party, or write postcards to swing-state voters at a local postcard party.
Can I volunteer to get out the vote from home?
Yes. Virtual phone banks start with a live Zoom training, and the dialer keeps your personal number private. Get-out-the-vote calls remind supporters when and where to vote and help them make a plan.
Do I need experience to volunteer for GOTV?
No. Get-out-the-vote conversations are short and scripted, and every canvass and phone bank starts with a training. First-time canvassers are paired with an experienced buddy.
Is get out the vote work partisan?
It can be either. Nonpartisan groups encourage everyone to vote; campaigns focus on their own supporters. Operation Swing State is a coalition of Democratic organizations, unions, and advocacy groups, and its canvasses and phone banks support Democratic candidates.
Claim a seat for the final weekend
Final-weekend canvasses run Oct 31 through Nov 3. Signing up early helps organizers plan carpools.