Voter database
A voter database is a database containing information on voters for the purpose of assisting a political party or an individual politician, in their Get out the vote (GOTV) efforts and other areas of the campaign. In most countries, the election agency makes the electoral roll available to all campaigns soon after the election campaign has begun. Campaigns can then merge this information with the other data they have collected on voters over the years to create their database. Often basic information such as phone numbers and postal codes are not included on the voters list, and the campaign will have to procure this data as well. Uses The voter database is central to many parts of a campaign: Fundraising: The database can determine who should receive fundraising direct mail or telephone calls. These letters and calls can be tailored to reflect the issues and concerns of each potential donor. Past donor history, support for related advocacy groups, magazine subscriptions, and consumer behaviour can all be used to find likely donors and maximize the returns of any fundraising efforts. Recruitment: As with fundraising, databases, especially those with detailed past election behaviour, are essential to recruiting volunteers and also finding locations for lawn signs. Issue tracking: A campaign can track how certain issues are perceived across geographic and demographic lines and can show how to adjust the campaign's message for different audiences. By databasing all incoming telephone calls and e-mails as well as entering petitions and supporter lists from advocacy groups and NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) one can closely track how issues are followed by the electorate. Get out the vote: One of the most important parts of a modern campaign is the campaign to ensure one's own supporters go to the polls on election day, and databases are central to this. A successful voter identification campaign requires connecting with a significant portion of the electorate and recording how they are going to vote in a database. On election day this information needs to be given out with accurate contact information for each voter so that they can be pulled to the polls. Voter information Personal data frequently included in a voter database: Name Physical address Mailing address Phone number Party membership or affiliation Voting history (including federal, sub-national, primary, municipal, or special election voting history) Absentee or military voter designations Source of voter registration, e.g. DMV/MVA, Public Assistance Office, etc. Ethnicity or emerges race hypothesis Gender Birth date or age range Data that may be added from commercial sources: "Extreme voters" status (voters who vote very frequently) Homeownership Hunting or fishing license holders Boat owners Concealed Weapon Permit Holders Occupation such as physical therapist, teacher, etc. Charitable or political contributions Magazine subscription status Voter database management software The use of voter databases has been established in political campaigns at all levels from local to national elections: In the United States The United States does not have a federal election agency, and thus has no official national voter list. In 2002, the