Phone banking, a political technique where volunteers call and persuade potential undecided voters about certain candidates, is used by people all across the country. With the 2020 election coming to a close, many have finished their rounds of phone banking this year. But what really is phone banking and how does it work?
According to Call Hub, phone banking starts when political campaigns recruit and train volunteers to aid candidates in an election. Volunteers must call people to identify potential voters, solicit funds, convince others to attend events and raise awareness about certain issues. Usually, phone banking volunteers are presented with a list of potential voters who are located in certain areas. Then, they must print surveys and scripts to use towards the people they reach.
People who phone bank can reach a variety of people from different ages and backgrounds.
“It’s especially effective when reaching older voters, who are more likely to pick up their phone and entertain a conversation,” Richard Montgomery High School junior Victoria Koretsky, an experienced phone banker, said.
From local to national elections, phone banking can be used by any candidate and can expand outreach towards many people.
Phone banking is also popular in other countries. According to Call Hub, Les Rupublicains, a political party in France, used phone banking for volunteer recruitment, to make over 900,000 calls and recruit 800 volunteers in four months.
Although phone banking is used at such a wide scope to reach a vast audience, there is debate over whether or not it is effective. According to the Washington Post, personal contact helps persuade people to vote regularly but still may not persuade the public to change its mind about underlying issues. Regardless, people phone bank to outreach towards wider communities about different issues and candidates. Especially with COVID-19 limiting contact with other people, phone banking can be crucial to a candidate’s campaign.
Organizations in Montgomery County, including Sunrise Rockville and the Asian American Progressive Union, have phone banked as well. Koretsky and other students in Montgomery County have phone banked for Lynne Harris, a candidate for the Board of Education. This shows that even high school students who are not eligible to vote can still aid candidates in campaigns.
“You don’t even have to be making political phone calls. I think one of my best experiences was just letting seniors know what community resources they had access to during the pandemic and answering questions for them,” Koretsky said.
Phone banking has both benefits and challenges. A strong benefit is that volunteers can phone bank from the comfort of their own homes risking getting COVID-19.
“Especially during the pandemic, it’s been effective in spreading safety information and letting people know about community resources,” Koretsky said.
On the other hand, phone banking requires a lot of patience, as many people do not pick up calls in the first place.
“Most people don’t pick up their phones for canvassers. I’ve had a pick-up ratio of anywhere from 0%-15% per session,” Koretsky said.
Despite the challenges of phone banking, both volunteers and candidates have deemed it a rewarding experience.
“Phone banking is a really easy way for students who can’t vote to still get involved,” Koretsky said.
Article by Natalie Weger of Richard Montgomery High School