Getting Started as a Campaign in VAN

What is VAN?

VAN (Voter Action Network/ Votebuilder) is a database used nationally by Democratic campaigns and progressive organizations to perform voter contact. Your VAN subscription includes:

  • Lists of registered voters, regularly updated with newly registered voters

  • Platform to canvass, phone bank, record contacts

  • Scripts with TDP messaging

  • Guidance on who to contact for different types of voter contact, including lists of likely Democrats and persuadable voters and Race/Ethnicity, partisan and issue models

  • Phone numbers, including cells from TDP and DNC acquisitions at no additional cost to the campaign

  • Partnership with mail and digital companies to facilitate easy digital and mail buys

  • Access to pre-negotiated rates for digital tools (e.g., Mobilize, Hustle)

How do I access VAN?

  1. Fill out a VAN Request form, here: txdem.co/VAN-Request.

    1. More info on Requesting VAN Access can be found here: txdem.co/Get-VAN-Help

  2. The TDP Data team will provide a quote, and then ask you for payment and share paperwork to sign.

  3. Once both payment and paperwork is received, the Data team will create and activate your account.

  4. You are good to go!

    1. Log in to your VAN account, and ensure you set up 2 Factor Authentication.

    2. To log in, go to texasvan.com and click Login with Action ID.

      1. For more information on critical security steps we can take for VAN and for protecting our organization’s data in today’s world, please visit: txdem.co/Cyber-Security.

See txdem.co/2fa for more help on Action ID and 2 Factor Authentication.

Now that my Campaign is in VAN, how can VAN help me?

  1. Find Democratic voters in your district

    • VAN allows you to cut lists based on geography and various partisan models.

  2. Register folks who moved into your district

    • VAN is regularly updated with National Change of Address (NCOA) information, so you can see likely Democrats who have moved into your county and need to update their registration and/or register to vote.

  3. Send holiday or birthday cards to constituents

    • VAN will provide you all of that information.

  4. Setup a block walk or phone bank

  5. Find folks to robo call, text, serve digital ads to, or otherwise contact

VAN seamlessly integrates with several other digital organizing tools (e.g., texting, events management systems, robocall vendors, etc.)

These things all sound great, but how do I get trained to know how to do them?

Once you sign up for VAN, you will receive access to a myriad of training options, including:

I’m in VAN, and I see two tabs: My Voters and My Campaign. What’s up with those and how are they different?

  • There are two sides to VAN: My Voters and My Campaign

  • My Voters houses the permanent voterfile whereas, My Campaign is unique to your own campaign

  • My Campaign houses powerful volunteer management & Event tools

I think phone banking makes sense as a priority for our campaign right now. How do I do that?

  • We prefer that everyone uses Virtual Phone Bank OR OpenVPB

    • Read more about the difference between the two here

  • More info on virtual phone banking and how to create and use it here

  • Interested in texting? Get started here