What is the practical answer?
A GOTV calling script should be brief and practical: identify the campaign, confirm whether the voter has already voted or has a plan, provide only verified voting information, record a ride or accessibility need, and end respectfully. Do not ask how the person voted, imply that the campaign is an election authority, or continue after a clear do-not-contact request.
On this page
Basic GOTV opening
“Hi, may I speak with [name]? I’m [caller], volunteering with [candidate or campaign]. I’m calling with a quick voting reminder. Have you already voted, or do you have a plan for when you’ll vote?”
Use the campaign’s approved identification and disclosure language. Keep the tone calm and practical.
Already voted
“Great, thank you for letting us know. I’ll update the campaign’s contact list. Have a good day.”
Do not ask how the person voted. Record the approved manual already-voted outcome and end the call.
Has a voting plan
“Perfect. Do you have the official location and identification information you need?”
If the voter needs information, use the official election authority source. Avoid reading from an old campaign note or making assumptions based on a previous polling location.
Needs a ride or accessibility support
“I can record a request for the campaign ride team to contact you. I can’t confirm the ride on this call, but they’ll follow up with the details.”
Collect only the information needed for the request and obtain consent to share it with the dispatcher and assigned driver.
No plan or uncertain
“Would it be helpful if I shared the official ways to vote and where to confirm your location?”
Provide neutral, accurate information. If the person is not voting or does not want contact, record the outcome respectfully.
Required exits
- Wrong number: apologize, record the correction, and end.
- Do not contact: acknowledge and apply the campaign suppression process.
- Already contacted repeatedly: apologize and flag the list-control issue.
- Question outside the script: offer a campaign callback or official election source.
- Hostile or unsafe: end the call and notify the lead.
A practical example
A voter says they plan to vote at the same place as the last election. The caller does not confirm that assumption. They use the official lookup information, explain where the voter can verify the current location, and record that the voter has a plan. The call remains useful without the volunteer guessing.
Working checklist
- Confirm current calling, registration, disclosure, and record rules.
- Use the official voting-information source.
- Practise already-voted, plan, ride, no-plan, wrong-number, and opt-out branches.
- Never ask how the person voted.
- Record outcomes immediately.
- Move ride requests into a controlled workflow.
- Remove completed and suppressed records from later calls.
Common mistakes
- Sounding like an election official.
- Providing polling information from memory.
- Continuing a long persuasion conversation when the call purpose is turnout.
- Promising a ride before dispatch confirms it.
- Leaving already-voted people in the next call round.
Sources and further reading
- Elections Canada — Ways to Vote
- CRTC — How to contact Canadians the right way during an election campaign
- CRTC — Voter Contact Registry
Election law, privacy, calling rules, voting methods, and campaign-finance requirements vary by jurisdiction and can change. Verify current requirements with the applicable election authority before acting.
What campaign teams should remember
- Use official voting information.
- Ask whether the voter has voted or has a plan, not how they voted.
- Record ride and follow-up needs through a separate workflow.
- Remove already-voted people from active calls.
- Use clear wrong-number and do-not-contact outcomes.
Common questions about gotv calling scripts
What is the main question in a GOTV call?+
Ask whether the voter has already voted or when they plan to vote, then provide accurate help or record the appropriate outcome.
Can a campaign tell a voter where to vote?+
Use the current official election authority information and make clear that the campaign is providing a reference, not acting as the election authority.
Should callers persuade during GOTV?+
The campaign should define the purpose. GOTV calls are usually short and focused on completing a voting plan rather than reopening a long persuasion conversation.
What if the voter needs a ride?+
Record the request, confirm consent to share necessary details, and move it to the ride desk. Do not promise a ride until the campaign can confirm it.
Editorial reviewReviewed by CampaignGateway Operations Team on 2026-06-17. Campaigns should always verify legal, election, privacy, accessibility, and voter-contact requirements with the appropriate election authority or qualified adviser.