Why can't I use partisan language?

It’s crucial that we stick with nonpartisan messaging on Vote Forward letters no matter what's happening around us or how we feel about a political issue. While this may seem frustrating, it's important to remember that the voters on our lists are not activists like many Vote Forward volunteers. They are not likely to be as politically active or engaged on the issues as most Vote Forward writers. Real world research shows that language that may inspire activists like you to take action will almost certainly fall flat with non-activist voters, like the voters on our lists, and will result in them not taking the desired action: voting on election day. Research supports this approach and Vote Forward’s nonpartisan letters are highly effective when it comes to boosting voter turnout, which is our shared goal.

We are all motivated to vote for different reasons and many reasons are highly partisan. But Vote Forward letters are not a vehicle for sharing views on issues where there isn’t general agreement. They are an effective vehicle for communicating positive, nonpartisan messages to encourage voting. No matter what we're feeling or what’s happening in the news, it's important to keep our letters nonpartisan and positive about voting so they'll have the best chance of boosting voter turnout and making the absolute most of our efforts to encourage more people to vote in a critical election year.

Our instructions have additional tips and guidance for crafting an impactful message to add to Vote Forward letters to encourage voting.