Text messaging was an effective tool to mobilize young voters during the 2008 primary election in February, according to a study released this week.
Text message reminders sent to young voters on the day of the election increased voter turnout by 4.6 percentage points, and reminders sent the day before the election increased turnout by 2.1 percentage points, according to the study.
The findings were released Tuesday by Student Public Interest Research Group and Credo Mobile in cooperation with the University of Notre Dame.
The study will be replicated nationwide during the general election.
David Nickerson, a political science professor at Notre Dame, said the study demonstrated that text messaging helps get people to the polls who might not otherwise have voted. Researchers sent text messages to 3,600 mobile phones chosen at random from a pool of 5,400 people. Most of the messages were sent to people 30 years old or younger, and the bulk were sent to college-aged students, said Nickerson, who helped design the study.
“One thing about young people is that they have cell phones,” Nickerson said.
From 2000 to 2004, the amount of young people voting increased more than any other group, making it particularly relevant to reach them via text messaging, said David Wells, associate faculty director for ASU’s interdisciplinary studies program.
“Getting out the vote is critical,” Wells said. “In some races, where they tend to vote differently, higher turnout by young adults could be the difference.”
Reaching people via their cell phones may be a cost-effective way to get people into voting booths, Nickerson said.
Traditionally, candidates and their volunteers have knocked on doors to get the vote out. Nickerson said studies have proven this method gets about six votes from every 100 people talked to.
He said that for less money, text messaging could create about four or five votes for every 100 people. Contacting voters via e-mail has proven to be even less effective, he said.
“Text messaging is the sweet spot. It’s cheap and effective,” Nickerson said.
The text-message study also has repercussions on how political studies will be conducted in the future, said Tara Blanc, associate director of ASU’s Cronkite-Eight Poll.
She said that President John F. Kennedy’s use of television changed campaigning in the same way that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s use of the Internet is changing the political landscape today.
“This [study] is certainly in line with a change in other trends we are seeing. Obama’s use of the Internet will have an impact on the future of campaigning,” Blanc said. “Younger, more technology-savvy voters are people who are supporting Obama. He understands the changing environment of how people are getting information.”
Reach the reporter at philip.haldiman@asu.edu.
