Measuring effectiveness of postcards is a difficult task, though many studies have been done showing various degrees of effectiveness. Some studies focus on the success of using postcards in general, some are based on overall Get Out The Vote (GOTV) campaigns of which postcards are a part, and some focus on the efficacy of the postcard design itself.

 

Below is a list postcard studies and sources, but bear in mind the challenges with producing accurate statistical data:

• It is difficult to separate correlation (ie: postcard recipients were targeted by many GOTV efforts) and causation (increased voter turnout as a direct result of a specific postcard being sent). 

• Many studies are simply too small in size to be statistically significant

• Some studies of message effectiveness assume the message was not modified by volunteers (a common occurrence)

• Some of these studies are several years old and may not reflect the current political landscape and voter responsiveness

 

At Cartoons for Democracy, our methodologies are heavily influenced by the study: Getting Out the Vote With Postcards to Voters:  A Study of Best Practices by Blue Wave Analytics which focuses on the effectiveness of postcard designs.

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