Your Guide to Election Day Volunteer Roles

Table of Contents:

1. Planning Ahead For Election Day

2. Staffing The Poll Station

3. Data Entry

4. Knocking Every. Last. Door.

We’re never that far out from an Election Day — and if your Election Day is coming up, it’s likely safe to assume you’ve already got volunteers on your campaign. 

(Side Note: If you’ve still got some campaigning to go, or just need some extra guidance in this department, our free course Intro to Volunteer Recruitment and Management is for you!)

By now, your volunteers might already have their daily assignments down to a science — knock 100 doors, finish 5 packets — and are cranking up for that final push. But Election Day will bring a whole other set of priorities and tasks, so it's important to iron out that plan and make sure you and your volunteers are on the same page.

Planning Ahead for Election Day

Think of it this way: There’s only so much a wedding planner can do before the big day. So many details can’t be planned. They’ll have to wait for showtime. Making sure the bridal party shows up on time, that the rings don’t get left at home … you get the gist.

It works the same way on Election Day. Volunteers can pour months into voter contacts to maximize chances of a good E-Day turnout. What’s key is that they work straight through the finish line to make sure last-minute details don’t stop your campaign from getting the votes you need to win.

Because we’ve supported thousands of people running for office, we know what critical, day-of tasks political campaigns need on Election Day. And now that you’ve found this post, you can bring these insights to your campaign! So without further ado, let’s talk about some roles your volunteers should adopt on Election Day – come rain or shine, richer or poorer. Is that how it goes?

A good portion of the tasks worth delegating to volunteers on Election Day happen at polling stations. Most fall within this goal: Make sure voters aren’t deterred from casting a ballot for you. Whether that be because the parking is a nightmare or you’re a down-ballot candidate they might skip over, there are ways to intervene. Let’s talk about them!

1. Staffing the Poll Station

Volunteers can’t do anything at the polls that would target only your voters, but they can make sure procedures are followed correctly, fairly, and smoothly. This can mean keeping the lines running orderly, so folks aren’t discouraged by disorganization or long wait times, or stopping voter intimidation. You might not be able to imagine walking away before casting your ballot, but we promise, plenty of voters won’t be as committed. It’s important to make the process as easy as possible for folks who could just as easily leave. 

Volunteers might also spend some time on Election Day dispersing campaign and informational yard signs around polling stations, making sure to follow local laws that restrict signs within a certain distance from the entrance. Some will help clarify where voters need to park and enter the building, avoiding confusion and delays. And some of your own signs along the way (again, we say: SEE LOCAL RESTRICTIONS!) might even secure some votes from folks who were reminded of your name on their drive over.

Poll station volunteers could also pass out water bottles or granola bars to voters if lines are long, as long as state laws permit it. This might be prohibited within a certain distance or entirely to prevent what’s called “electioneering.” 

2. Data Entry

Somewhere between the poll station volunteers and the day-of door knockers (more on that below), you’ll need someone who updates which voters have and haven’t cast their ballots so you know where to spend the last hours of your campaign.

Once poll station volunteers and election officials tell you which registered voters have cast their ballots, someone internal to the campaign will need to update the “voter file” for folks out on the field. This data set should start when the first mail-in ballots are cast, so you’ll have a handle on it before Election Day arrives. And even better, you can get started learning the system you’ll rely on with our Introduction to VoteBuilder course that’s available for you to take at any time. 

3. Knocking Every. Last. Door.

Okay, we claimed that Election Day would bring entirely new goals and tasks – but someone’s gotta knock those doors, people! You didn’t think we’d tell you *not* to reach every last voter, did you?! In all seriousness, campaigns should send out door knockers where they still have unconfirmed voters and work against the clock to encourage, remind, or confirm those last votes with face-to-face conversations and literature drops. It’s often the biggest need on Election Day.

Other options to serve the same purpose are phonebanking and textbanking, which might be useful for last-minute volunteers, folks working from field offices or home, or just to reach a larger number of people in a short time.

If you’re itching for more training, courses, and resources, we’re here to help you keep learning. We’ve got a catalogue of over 100 courses ready for you to take 24/7, and our calendar of virtual live trainings is always full. Check it all out for free – we’ll see you there!