Boost your letters with enhancements

Why enhance your letters?

In 2022, Vote Forward ran our first test of including extra items in handwritten letters to voters, with a pilot study that tested whether including a magnet or sticky note inside a “please vote” letter boosted the recipient’s likelihood of voting. In that small pilot study, we observed promising results—and beyond that research, we also know that many letter writers take the initiative to enhance their letters through decorations. Inspired by our research and by the creativity in our letter writing community, we’re introducing the opportunity to enhance your letters this year! While this is completely optional, please read on if you’d like to participate.

Types of enhancements:

Interested in enhancing your Voter Turnout letters before mailing them? There are a few ways you can get started:

1. Decorate your letters with materials you already have at home: Using markers or colored pens, stickers, post-its, or whatever you have on-hand, you can decorate your letters or envelopes to emphasize the importance of voting this year. Our volunteers often do this by highlighting important parts of their “why I vote” message, emphasizing key dates in the letter template, or adding voting-themed stickers. Etsy has some great options, from colorful and sparkly voting stickers to ballot boxes and pro-democracy cats.
   
   

   

   
2. Include additional printable materials in your letters: If you have plenty of printer supplies available, there are now new research-backed resources–including voter guides, “my plan to vote” checklists, and information sheets—available in the “Printable resources” section below.
3. NEW! Purchase Vote Forward items to enclose with your letters: Choose from a selection of voting-themed items inspired by our original research study, like flexible magnets and stickers, which will be available to purchase at-cost and include in your letters. Our first set of designs is available now in the Vote Forward online store. Please note that enclosed magnets should be wrapped in your letter or secured to the letter with tape, and that the sealed envelope should be ¼ inch thick or less.

No matter how you choose to enhance your letters, please be sure to read our Letter Enhancement Guidelines below, which include important information about how to ensure your enhanced letters remain mailable and effective:

Letter Enhancement Guidelines

We ask that anything you use to enhance your letters follow the “spirit” of the Vote Forward message instructions. Enhancements should:

• Not mention candidates by name, or depict candidates. This still applies even for Political letters that mention candidates; Vote Forward conducts a review to ensure that these letters are legally compliant, but we cannot conduct this review for your enhancements.
• Not mention political parties by name, or include party symbols: e.g. a blue donkey, a red elephant, or an “Obama Sun.”
• Not mention specific policies: e.g., please do not include a fact sheet on a certain issue or an advocacy organization’s guide to endorsed candidates.
• Remain focused on Vote Forward’s mission of encouraging voter turnout: e.g. do not include an ask to sign up for a club or organization.

We want to focus on hope over fear to inspire a mentality of “You can make a difference.” Think about enhancements that evoke emotions about dedication to democracy and the ability to take impactful action. Being too negative could risk making the letter recipient believe that their vote won’t matter. Also, please remember there is no way to know the life experience of your letter recipient, so please avoid any imagery or messages that are overtly graphic or potentially triggering to the recipient. If you’re not sure, feel free to email us at [email protected].

If you’re decorating your letters or envelopes, any inks should be dark enough to be legible, and any enhancements should not obscure the address or stamp. If you have any questions about your letters specifically, ask your local post office.

If you are including anything with voting information, please double check your sources, or consider using the free printable resources we provide below.

Printable resources

Organizers and super-volunteers may fill out this form to request a shipment of 1,000 or more pre-printed U.S. House guides, at no cost.

Mailing instructions

Mailing window: Any letters you have downloaded from one of our “Voter Turnout” campaigns are eligible for enhancements. When you’re done writing and enhancing your letters, they should be set aside for safekeeping until the October 1– 29 mailing window.

Participate in our design contest!

With so many talented artists and designers in the Vote Forward community, we’re inviting you to enter our contest for a chance to have your design featured on small items like magnets and stickers that can be purchased in the Vote Forward store (coming soon!) and enclosed in letters to voters!

To enter the contest, please read the full instructions below and submit your design via email to [email protected] by 11:59pm on Sunday, August 18. The winning designs will be selected by the Vote Forward team by August 31 and shared across our email, website, and social media.

Note: We'll license winning designs to produce through our site until the end of the mailing window on October 29, 2024, but you’ll still retain the rights to your artwork. Contest winners will receive a small prize and recognition on our website.

Want to participate? Read the full contest rules below: