Campaign Segmentation & Targeting: Reaching the Right Voters with the Right Message

The single biggest mistake campaigns make with text messaging: sending the same generic message to everyone.

Voters are not a monolith. A 22-year-old first-time voter and a 68-year-old super voter need completely different messages. A suburban parent and an urban renter care about different issues. One-size-fits-all messaging wastes money and opportunity.

Strategic segmentation allows you to deliver personalized messages that resonate - dramatically improving response rates, engagement, and ultimately, electoral success.

Why Segmentation Matters

The Performance Gap

Generic messaging:

• Response rate: 5-10%
• Opt-out rate: 1-2%
• Conversion rate: 0.5-1%

Segmented, targeted messaging:

• Response rate: 20-30%
• Opt-out rate: 0.2-0.5%
• Conversion rate: 3-8%

Impact: Segmentation can triple your response rates and quintuple your conversions.

The Psychology

People respond to messages that feel relevant to them personally. Segmentation enables:

Relevance: Messages about issues they care about

Recognition: References to their specific context (location, demographics)

Respect: Shows you understand and value them as individuals

Response: Higher likelihood of engagement and action

Core Segmentation Strategies

1. Turnout Propensity Segmentation

How voters are scored: Based on voting history, campaigns assign turnout propensity scores (1-100) predicting likelihood to vote.

Segment categories:

High-propensity voters (Score 80-100):

• Vote in every election
• Require minimal persuasion
• Need basic reminders

Message approach:

• Gratitude + light reminder
• 1-2 contacts total
• Respectful, brief

Example:

Hi Margaret! Thank you for voting in every election. Polls at Lincoln Elementary open at 7 AM Tuesday. See you there!

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Medium-propensity voters (Score 50-79):

• Vote in presidential/midterms
• May skip off-year elections
• Need motivation + information

Message approach:

• Emphasize importance of THIS election
• 2-3 contacts
• Mix of motivation and logistics

Example:

Hi Tom! This election determines control of Congress. Your vote at Lincoln Elementary (7 AM-8 PM Tuesday) could be the deciding factor. Will you vote?

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Low-propensity voters (Score 1-49):

• Rarely or never vote
• Need maximum persuasion
• Require assistance and encouragement

Message approach:

• High personalization
• Remove barriers (offer rides, information)
• 3-5 contacts
• Very supportive tone

Example:

Hey Jordan! First time voting? We'll make it easy. Your polling place is Lincoln High, open 7 AM-8 PM Tuesday. Got questions? Reply anytime and I'll help!

2. Partisan Segmentation

Segment categories:

Strong supporters:

• Donated, volunteered, or strong party affiliation
• Don't need persuasion
• Focus on turnout and volunteerism

Message focus:

Hi Jennifer! As one of our strongest supporters, would you help us text voters this weekend? Your voice matters!

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Lean supporters:

• Favor your candidate but not enthusiastic
• Need motivation
• Focus on why this election matters

Message focus:

Hi Marcus! This election is close. Your vote for Johnson protects [key issue]. Will you vote Nov 5?

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Persuadables:

• Undecided or independent
• Need information, not partisanship
• Focus on issues and candidate qualities

Message focus:

Hi Sarah! Still deciding? Emily Johnson has a plan for [local issue]. Learn more: [link]. Happy to answer questions!

3. Demographic Segmentation

By age:

Gen Z (18-24):

• Issues: Climate, student debt, jobs
• Tone: Very casual, authentic
• Channel preference: Text-native
• Barriers: Low turnout propensity, lack of voting experience

Example:

Hey Alex! Vote by Nov 5 to shape climate policy for the next decade. Your polling place: Lincoln High, 7 AM-8 PM. First time? Just reply with questions!

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Millennials (25-40):

• Issues: Housing, childcare, economy
• Tone: Conversational, practical
• Channel preference: Multi-channel
• Barriers: Busy schedules, family obligations

Example:

Hi Lisa! Bringing kids to vote? Polls at Lincoln Elementary welcome families and are open until 8 PM. You've got this!

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Gen X (41-56):

• Issues: Economy, education, healthcare
• Tone: Professional but warm
• Channel preference: Mix of traditional and digital
• Barriers: Work schedules

Example:

Hi Robert! Polls are open until 8 PM Tuesday, so you can vote after work. Your polling place: Lincoln Elementary, 425 Oak St.

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Boomers (57-75):

• Issues: Social Security, Medicare, healthcare
• Tone: Respectful, slightly formal
• Channel preference: Multi-channel
• Barriers: May need assistance

Example:

Hello Mrs. Johnson. Your polling place is Lincoln Elementary, 123 Oak St, open 7 AM-8 PM Tuesday. If you need a ride or assistance, please reply. Thank you for being a faithful voter.

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Silent Generation (76+):

• Issues: Social Security, Medicare, healthcare
• Tone: Formal, respectful
• Channel preference: Traditional
• Barriers: Mobility, accessibility

Example:

Dear Mr. Williams, we're offering free rides to the polls on Tuesday. If you'd like assistance voting, please reply or call [number]. Thank you for your continued civic participation.

4. Geographic Segmentation

By location type:

Urban voters:

• Transit directions to polling places
• Early voting locations
• Density-specific issues (housing, transit)

Hi Kevin! Take the Green Line to Oak Station - your polling place is 2 blocks north at Lincoln Elementary.

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Suburban voters:

• Parking information
• Specific polling locations
• Suburban-specific issues (schools, traffic)

Hi Amanda! Your polling place at Lincoln Elementary has plenty of parking. Polls open 7 AM-8 PM Tuesday.

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Rural voters:

• Driving directions
• Acknowledge travel distance
• Rural-specific issues (agriculture, broadband)

Hi Sarah! We know Lincoln Elementary is a 20-minute drive. Polls are open 7 AM-8 PM, so you have time. Thank you for making the effort!

By specific geography:

• District/precinct
• Neighborhood
• City/county

Hi Tom! As a District 7 resident, this race directly affects your community. Your polling place: Lincoln Elementary, 425 Oak St.

5. Issue-Based Segmentation

Identify voter priorities through:

• Surveys and polling
• Past engagement
• Demographic proxies
• Donation history (to issue organizations)

Message to issue priorities:

Education advocates:

Hi Lisa! As a teacher, you know our schools need better funding. Emily Johnson's plan invests $50M in classrooms. Will you vote Nov 5?

Climate voters:

Hi Jordan! This election determines climate policy for the next decade. Emily Johnson will fight for clean energy. Can we count on your vote?

Healthcare advocates:

Hi Maria! Protecting the ACA is on the ballot Nov 5. Emily Johnson will defend your healthcare. Will you vote?

6. Engagement-Based Segmentation

By interaction level:

High engagement:

• Regular responders
• Donors
• Volunteers
• Event attendees

Message approach: Behind-the-scenes updates, volunteer recruitment, peer-to-peer asks

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Medium engagement:

• Occasional responders
• Opened emails
• Visited website

Message approach: Continue nurturing, valuable content, easier asks

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Low engagement:

• Never responded
• No donations
• No volunteer activity

Message approach: Re-engagement campaigns, value-first (not asks), simple responses

Advanced Segmentation Tactics

Behavioral Scoring

Combine multiple factors into a composite score:

Example scoring model:

• Turnout propensity: 40% weight
• Partisan support: 30% weight
• Issue alignment: 20% weight
• Engagement history: 10% weight

Create tiers based on total scores and message accordingly.

Lookalike Modeling

Identify characteristics of your best supporters and find similar voters:

Process:

1. Analyze your top donors/volunteers
2. Identify common demographics, geography, behaviors
3. Find voters matching those patterns
4. Target with tailored recruitment messages

Dynamic Segmentation

Adjust segments based on real-time behavior:

Example: Voter initially in "persuadable" segment responds positively → move to "lean supporter" → adjust future messaging

Implementation: Tag contacts based on responses, update segments automatically, progressive message sequences

Segmentation by Campaign Phase

Early Campaign

Focus: Building supporter base

Segments:

• Known supporters (mobilize)
• Persuadables (educate)
• Issue advocates (recruit)

Messages:

• Issue education
• Volunteer recruitment
• Early fundraising

Mid-Campaign

Focus: Persuasion and expansion

Segments:

• Persuadable voters (by issue)
• Unregistered voters (registration drives)
• Medium-propensity voters (motivation)

Messages:

• Issue-specific content
• Candidate introduction
• Event invitations

Final Weeks

Focus: GOTV

Segments:

• High-propensity supporters (simple reminders)
• Medium-propensity supporters (motivation + logistics)
• Low-propensity supporters (maximum support)

Messages:

• Polling place information
• Voting hours
• Transportation offers
• Early voting reminders

Election Day

Focus: Last-push turnout

Segments:

• By time of day preference
• By remaining voters (who hasn't voted)

Messages:

• Real-time status checks
• Final reminders
• Problem-solving

Practical Implementation

Step 1: Audit Your Data

What data do you have?

• Voter file (demographics, voting history)
• Campaign data (donations, volunteers, responses)
• Survey data (issue preferences)

What's missing?

• Identify gaps
• Plan data collection

Step 2: Define Your Segments

Prioritize based on:

• Data availability
• Campaign strategy
• Resource constraints

Start with 3-5 core segments: Don't overcomplicate initially. Build sophistication over time.

Example starter segments:

1. High-propensity strong supporters
2. Medium-propensity persuadables
3. Low-propensity young voters
4. Issue-specific advocates
5. Geographic priority areas

Step 3: Craft Segment-Specific Messages

For each segment:

• Core message theme
• Appropriate tone
• Relevant issues
• Specific CTAs

Document:

• Create message templates
• Define sending frequency
• Establish success metrics

Step 4: Test and Refine

A/B test within segments: Even within segments, test message variations

Track performance by segment:

• Which segments respond best?
• Which need different approaches?
• Where should you invest more resources?

Adjust based on results:

• Refine segment definitions
• Update message strategies
• Reallocate resources

Common Segmentation Mistakes

1. Over-segmentation: Creating so many segments you can't manage them effectively.

Fix: Start with core segments, add complexity gradually.

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2. Segment and forget: Creating segments but sending the same messages anyway.

Fix: Actually use your segments with tailored messages.

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3. Static segmentation: Never updating segments based on new information.

Fix: Implement dynamic segmentation based on responses.

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4. Ignoring small segments: Focusing only on large segments.

Fix: Small high-value segments (major donors, key influencers) deserve attention.

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5. Poor data hygiene: Segmenting on inaccurate or outdated data.

Fix: Regular data cleaning and updates.

Tools and Platforms

What you need:

Voter file management:

• Import and clean data
• Tag and segment contacts
• Update based on engagement

Segmentation capabilities:

• Filter by multiple variables
• Create custom segments
• Save and reuse segments

Message targeting:

• Send to specific segments
• Schedule segment-specific campaigns
• Track performance by segment

Integration:

• Sync with VAN/NGP
• CRM integration
• Real-time updates

Political Comms provides full segmentation capabilities with easy-to-use filters, saved segments, and integration with major voter file platforms.

The Bottom Line

Effective segmentation transforms your texting program:

• ✅ Higher response rates (20-30% vs. 5-10%)
• ✅ Better conversions (3-8% vs. 0.5-1%)
• ✅ Lower opt-outs (0.2-0.5% vs. 1-2%)
• ✅ More efficient spending (target resources where they matter)
• ✅ Stronger voter relationships (personalized, relevant communication)

Core segments to start:

1. Turnout propensity (high/medium/low)
2. Partisan support (strong/lean/persuadable)
3. Demographics (age, especially)
4. Geography (urban/suburban/rural)
5. Issue interests

Remember:

• Start simple, add complexity
• Use data you actually have
• Test and refine continuously
• Personalize messages for each segment
• Track performance and adjust

At Political Comms, we make segmentation easy with powerful filtering, saved segments, and seamless voter file integration.

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Ready to reach the right voters with the right message? Get started with Political Comms.

Need help developing your segmentation strategy? Contact our team for expert guidance.