Frequently Asked Questions About Relational Voter Turnout (FAQs)

Q: How do you know about my friends and family’s voting history?

A: Whether you vote and are registered to vote is public record. Who you vote for (both the candidates and the political parties) is private information and not part of the public record; however, if your state requires specific political party registration, your public record will indicate which party you are registered with.

Q: Why do we need to record the voters’ information in MyRVP?

A: Just like when we make regular GOTV calls and door knocks, we use data to ensure we are doing smart and strategic work. By brainstorming your list and entering it into MyRVP, Planned Parenthood Votes will use the information you provide to check the public record and let you know if people on your list are registered to vote, if they regularly vote or only vote occasionally, and if they are likely to support the issues and candidates we are supporting this year.

We are also tracking our conversations and their outcomes so we can measure the impact we have on voter turnout. We are doing a lot this year to learn about this program so we can make future campaigns more effective.

Q: What if I don’t know someone’s city of residence?

A: If you don’t know, leave it blank. If you can take your best guess, please do! It is optional, but providing a phone number or email address will help us find your contact’s public record.

Q: Why do you want my friend’s email and phone number?

A: One of the ways our work is effective is by finding your contacts’ public record. Forty percent of the time, we do not find them. This is most likely because your contact may not be registered to vote, but sometimes it is because we just don’t have enough information to narrow it down to the person you know.

When you provide their phone, email, and street address, it increases our chance of finding them and making our work more effective.

Q: If I give you my friends’ information, are you going to start sending them emails?

A: No, we will not use the information you provide to us to contact your people.

The only exceptions to this are:

1. If your contact was already a Planned Parenthood supporter, they’ll continue to receive communication from Planned Parenthood organizations.

2. Or, if your contact is already one of the many voters that Planned Parenthood Votes or another Planned Parenthood advocacy and political organization is reaching out to about this year’s elections, they may get a phone call, a knock on their door, a piece of mail, or a digital ad.

Q: Why do I have to ask for so many details about how my family plans to vote?

A: There is a ton of research on what is most effective when helping folks make it to the polls on Election Day. One of the most established best practices is helping people make a plan to vote. Often, a barrier to voting is just our everyday lives getting in the way.

If we think ahead of time about the logistics of voting — when, where, how am I getting there, do I need to take anyone with me, etc. — we are more likely to make it to the polls!

Q: My friend wants to do some relational organizing of their own.

A: AWESOME. Share this guide with them so they can get started too!