What Time Should I Stop Texting? A Simple Guide to Political Texting Hours

You've uploaded your voter list. Your volunteers are ready. You're about to launch your first text campaign.

Then someone asks: "What time should we stop sending messages?"

It's a simple question, but an important one. Send texts too early, and you'll wake people up. Send too late, and you'll annoy them (or worse—get your messages filtered as spam).

This guide answers the basic question every local campaign asks: When should I send political text messages, and when should I stop?

The Simple Answer: 9 AM to 8 PM (Local Time)

Here's the safe, effective texting window for political campaigns:

Weekdays: 9 AM to 8 PM (voter's local time) Weekends: 10 AM to 8 PM (voter's local time)

This window respects voters' schedules and maximizes your engagement.

Let's break down why.

Why You Shouldn't Text Before 9 AM

1. You'll Wake People Up

Not everyone is an early riser. Texting at 7 AM might work for you, but it could wake up:

Night shift workers who just went to bed
Parents trying to sleep in on a weekend
Anyone who stayed up late

Result: Annoyed voters who opt out or develop a negative impression of your campaign.

2. Messages Get Lost in the Morning Rush

Even for people who wake up early, the hours between 7-9 AM are chaotic:

Getting kids ready for school
Rushing to work
Morning routines

A text that arrives at 7:30 AM gets buried in notifications and forgotten by the time the voter has a moment to breathe.

3. It Looks Desperate or Unprofessional

Campaigns that text before 9 AM often come across as:

Overly aggressive
Disorganized (like they're scrambling at the last minute)
Disrespectful of voters' time

Bottom line: Wait until 9 AM. It's not worth the risk.

Why You Shouldn't Text After 8 PM

1. It's Intrusive

After 8 PM, most people are:

Winding down for the day
Spending time with family
Getting kids to bed
Relaxing after work

A campaign text at 9:30 PM feels like an interruption, not an invitation to engage.

2. You Risk Getting Blocked or Reported

Mobile carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile) monitor texting behavior. If users report your messages as spam or block your number, it can hurt your deliverability for future campaigns.

Late-night texts increase the likelihood of:

Opt-outs
Spam reports
Carrier filtering (your future messages go undelivered)

3. Response Rates Are Lower

Most people don't want to engage in political conversations late at night. They're tired. They want to relax.

Texts sent after 8 PM get:

Lower response rates
Higher opt-out rates
More negative replies ("Stop texting me so late!")

Bottom line: Stop sending by 8 PM. The extra hour or two isn't worth the backlash.

The Best Times to Send (Within the 9 AM - 8 PM Window)

Not all hours within the 9 AM - 8 PM window are equally effective. Here's when engagement is highest:

Weekdays: 6 PM - 8 PM

Why this works:

People are done with work
They're home, settled, checking their phones
They have time to read and respond

Avoid:

12 PM - 1 PM (lunch hour—people are rushed)
9 AM - 5 PM (work hours—people are busy or can't engage)

Weekends: 10 AM - 5 PM

Why this works:

People are awake but relaxed
They're running errands, at home, or out with family
They have mental space to engage with a campaign message

Avoid:

Early morning (before 10 AM—let people sleep in)
Late afternoon/evening (6 PM+—weekend family time)

Exception: Election Day

On Election Day, normal rules don't apply. You want to reach voters throughout the day to remind them to vote:

7-9 AM: Morning reminder as people wake up
12-2 PM: Midday check-in ("Have you voted yet?")
5-7 PM: Final push before polls close

On this one day, slightly expanding your window (as early as 7 AM, as late as 7 PM) is acceptable because the urgency justifies it.

What About Time Zones?

If your district spans multiple time zones (rare for local races, but possible), always send based on the voter's local time, not yours.

How to Handle This

Most peer-to-peer texting platforms automatically account for time zones. When you upload your contact list, the platform uses:

The voter's area code
Their zip code

...to determine their time zone and send messages at the appropriate local time.

What this means in practice:

You schedule messages for "6 PM"
A voter in New York gets the message at 6 PM Eastern
A voter in California gets the message at 6 PM Pacific

You don't have to do any manual calculations—the platform handles it.

If Your Platform Doesn't Support This

If your platform doesn't automatically adjust for time zones, you'll need to:

Segment your contact list by time zone
Schedule separate campaigns for each time zone
Manually adjust send times

This is tedious, which is why choosing a platform with built-in time zone support is important.

What If Volunteers Are Sending Manually?

If you're using a peer-to-peer texting platform where volunteers click "Send" for each message individually, you don't control exactly when each message goes out.

How to handle this:

Set Clear Volunteer Guidelines

Tell your volunteers:

"Only send messages between 9 AM and 8 PM in the voter's time zone."
"If you're texting in the evening, stop by 8 PM."

Use Platform Restrictions

Some platforms let you set "sending windows" that prevent volunteers from sending outside approved hours. If your platform has this feature, use it.

Monitor and Remind

If you notice a volunteer sending late at night, send a quick reminder:

Hey Sarah, just a heads-up—we want to stop sending texts by 8 PM to avoid annoying voters. Thanks for your help!

Most volunteers aren't trying to break the rules—they just didn't realize the time.

Common Questions About Texting Hours

Q: Can I text on Sundays?

A: Yes, but be respectful. Some voters may prefer not to receive political messages on Sundays for religious or personal reasons.

Best practice:

Avoid Sunday mornings (before noon)
If you do text on Sundays, keep it brief and non-urgent

Q: What about holidays?

A: Avoid texting on major holidays:

Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year's Day
Religious holidays (Yom Kippur, Easter, etc.)

People are with family or observing traditions. A campaign text feels intrusive.

Exception: If the election falls on or immediately after a holiday, a brief reminder is acceptable.

Q: What if I'm in a rush and need to send messages at 9 PM?

A: Don't. The damage to your campaign's reputation isn't worth it.

If you're running behind schedule:

Send the messages the next morning (9 AM)
Or adjust your volunteer shifts to ensure messages go out during the approved window

Late-night texts make you look disorganized and disrespectful.

Q: What if someone replies at 10 PM? Should I respond?

A: You can respond, but it's not required.

If a voter texts you at 10 PM with a question, it's fine to reply the next morning:

Hi John, thanks for your message! I wanted to get back to you during normal hours. Here's the info you asked about...

This shows you respect boundaries while still being responsive.

What Happens If You Text Outside the Window?

Let's say you accidentally send texts at 10 PM. What actually happens?

Immediate Consequences

Higher opt-out rates – Voters reply "STOP" because they're annoyed
Negative replies – "Don't text me this late!" "This is ridiculous."
Lower response rates – People ignore the message entirely

Long-Term Consequences

Carrier filtering – If enough people mark your messages as spam, carriers may start filtering your future messages (they don't get delivered)
Damaged reputation – Word spreads that your campaign is "annoying" or "disrespectful"
Reduced volunteer morale – Volunteers feel uncomfortable sending messages they know will annoy people

Bottom line: One late-night mistake probably won't kill your campaign, but it's not worth the risk. Stick to the 9 AM - 8 PM window.

How to Set Up Automatic Time Restrictions

To avoid accidental late-night sends, use these features in your P2P platform:

1. Scheduled Send Times

Instead of launching a campaign and letting volunteers send whenever they want, schedule your campaign to start and stop at specific times.

Example:

Campaign starts: Today at 9 AM
Campaign ends: Today at 8 PM

Once 8 PM hits, the platform automatically stops allowing new sends.

2. Time Zone Awareness

Make sure your platform sends messages based on the voter's local time, not the volunteer's time or a fixed time zone.

This prevents a volunteer in California from accidentally texting a voter in New York at 11 PM Eastern.

3. Volunteer Training

Even with technical safeguards, train your volunteers:

"Only send messages between 9 AM and 8 PM."
"If you're unsure what time it is in the voter's time zone, don't send."

The Bottom Line: Respect the 9 AM - 8 PM Window

When to send political text messages:

Weekdays: 9 AM - 8 PM (best: 6-8 PM)
Weekends: 10 AM - 8 PM (best: 10 AM - 5 PM)
Election Day: 7 AM - 7 PM (urgency justifies the expanded window)

Always use the voter's local time, not yours.

Why this matters:

✅ Higher response rates
✅ Lower opt-out rates
✅ Better deliverability
✅ Respect for voters' time

Texting at the right time isn't just good manners—it's good strategy.

The campaigns that win are the ones that respect voters' boundaries while staying persistent and visible. Follow the 9 AM - 8 PM rule, and you'll maximize engagement without alienating the people you're trying to reach.

Ready to start texting voters at the right time? Get started with Political Comms—built-in time zone support and scheduling features

Questions about texting etiquette or timing? Contact us—we'll help you set up a respectful, effective texting program.