The FAQs and Dos and Don'ts of Phone-banking

Phone-bank training should be quick and painless – just enough to give volunteers confidence and get them on the phones! A one-page training cheat-sheet streamlines the process.

Every electoral organizer has his or her own way of doing phone-banking. Some say to never bother leaving a message on an answering machine, other say you always should. Before you begin doing phone-banking you must make decisions about where you stand on these matters. Below you’ll find the top five FAQs of volunteers doing phone-banking and suggested answers, as well as the basic Dos and Don’ts of phone-banking that you should share with volunteers.

FAQs

Q. What if I get an answering machine?
A. Hang up and go to the next name on your list. (Or leave a scripted message.)

Q. What if another person answers the phone? Can I talk to them?
A. No. (You may, but only if the person is a registered voter! If they say they are registered and will vote our way, write their name on the list and treat them as a regular voter ID.)

Q. What if I call a number and a recording says it has been changed? Do I call the new number?
A. No. (If the area code is the same, yes, call the number. Be sure to verify the address of anyone you reach. They may be far from the original precinct, or it may just be a new number.)

Q. What do I do if a number has been disconnected?
A. Cross the name off the list.

Q. What do I do if the person who answers says no such person lives there?
A. Cross the name off the list. (Ask if the person you are speaking to is a voter and lives at the address, ID them, and add the name to the list.)

Dos and Don’ts

• Do thank voters who say they will vote our way. We want them to feel good about themselves.

• Do make sure that when people say they will vote our way, they mean it. Sometimes they are just trying to get you off the phone. We will be reminding these people to vote. We are counting on phone bankers to accurately identify the ones who are worth our effort on Election Day.

• Do set yourself goals. In an evening of phoning aim to identify at least 5 votes an hour! Use the Phone Bank Tally sheet to measure your progress.

• Don’t get into arguments with people who are voting for others. We can’t do anything about them except work harder to find the people who are on our side.

Click on the thumbnail to download a PDF of the FAQs and Dos and Don'ts of Phone-banking. (35 KB)