To: Interested Parties
From: Pete Maysmith, SVP of Campaigns, LCV Victory Fund
Date: September 29, 2020
Re: Weekly LCV Victory Fund Update

We are 35 days out from an election that will mark an epoch in US history. People are already voting —   nearly one million have cast ballots so far. LCV Victory Fund and affiliated entities have committed to investing at least $100 million this cycle to defeat Trump and elect climate and environmental justice champions up and down the ballot because our rights to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and live in safe and healthy communities are at risk.

Field Updates – LCVVF GOTV Program

Over the last week:

• We have seen a huge increase in vote by mail applications across all of our states 
• Because the vote by mail deadlines are coming up we are shifting our program to other tactics
• Last week ballots started to drop in may of our states and ballot chase calls will begin this week to make sure voters turn in their mail ballots

Results to date:

• Over 1.4 million get out the vote calls
• Close to 31,000 individual conversations with our targeted voters
• Of the voters we’ve spoken with over the phone, 68% committed to vote by any method and 44% committed to vote by mail.
• We are on track to make over 10 million calls to voters before Election Day

On September 16, LCV Victory Fund launched a $10 million Get Out The Vote effort to mobilize 2.5 million voters across Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin to turn out in the general election. We are focused on mobilizing voters who historically face barriers to the ballot box including young voters and voters of color.

The first phase of our call program, vote by mail, or VBM, generation, began in Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Montana counties that opted out of an all mail election, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. In these states, we are making calls to a universe of pro-environment voters to educate them on the VBM application and voting processes in their states, ultimately asking them to commit to voting by mail this year. On these calls, we are also asking voters to commit to supporting Joe Biden, and in MI, NC and AZ, the pro-environment Democratic Senate candidates. In many of these states, LCV Victory Fund is one of the largest call programs for VBM generation among allied partners. 

The next phase, beginning this week, will include mobilization and ballot chase calls to encourage voters in Florida, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, who requested a ballot to complete it or return it or make a plan to vote in person if preferred. These calls will include a relational organizing component — utilizing a tactic called “Vote Tripling”– where we will ask voters to commit to reminding 3 friends or family members to vote. This tactic has shown to maximize impact of a mobilization program as friends and family are often the most trusted messengers for voters.

Program Details 

We have crafted a flexible program to account for the changing election dynamics. Over the course of the program, we are running the following call programs:

• VBM generation: encouraging voters to complete the application process to receive a ballot by mail. 
• Mobilization and turnout calls: Our calls are adapted to fit the voting method and outreach needs of each state, working closely with our national and state partners to determine those needs. This “make-a-plan” voter education and mobilization program includes:
  • Ballot chase: Once ballots are mailed out in our target states, we will push our target voters who have requested ballots to fill out their ballots and return them, either by mail or in person. 
  • Early In-Person Voting (EIPV): Public polling data tells us that not all voters are interested in, or able to, vote by mail. Of these voters, we will make a secondary pitch: consider utilizing early in-person voting (EIPV), which experts agree is likely to be safer and less time consuming than Election Day-voting.
  • Election day in-person mobilization: If voting by mail and early voting are not of interest, or are no longer available, voters will be given information on how to vote in person on Election Day.
• Ballot curing: In states like North Carolina, where we can acquire data in a timely manner on which ballots have been rejected, it will be worthwhile to run a program to educate and assist voters through the ballot curing process. This is the final and oft-overlooked stage of the VBM cycle.
• Relational (VoteTripling): VoteTripling is a relational tactic that encourages voters to engage individuals from their personal networks on voting in 2020. There will be a question at the end of each call script (with the exception of the VBM script) that asks the voter to commit to reminding 3 friends or family members to vote. 

Our Get Out the Vote efforts will also include mobilization digital ads and mail to targeted voters. More details on that to come. 

Paid Media Updates

Over the last week, LCV Victory Fund launched four new paid media campaigns:

• VA-07 – Launched a new six figure TV ad with NRDC Action Votes today (9/29) in opposition to Nick Freitas’ campaign against Virginia environmental champion Rep. Abigail Spanberger. Read more and watch “More Important” here.
• IA Sen – Launched a new $2 million TV ad on 9/24 in opposition to Iowa Senator Joni Ernst’s re-election campaign. Read more and watch “Map” here.
• NM-02 – Launched a new six figure TV ad on 9/22 in opposition to Yvette Herrell’s campaign against New Mexico environmental champion Rep. Xochitl Torres Small. Read more and watch “Development” here.
• MI-08 – Launched a new six figure TV ad with House Majority PAC 9/22 in opposition to Paul Junge’s campaign against Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin. Read more and watch “Signs” here.

Ongoing paid media campaigns:

# # #

Paid for by LCV Victory Fund, www.lcvvictoryfund.org, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.