Voter Registration SMS — Local Authorities
UK Electoral Commission / Local authorities · United Kingdom · 2022
Summary
UK local authorities and an advocacy organization independently ran RCTs testing SMS voter registration reminders. Both found positive effects, with message personalization improving results. The intervention is notable for its scalability: electoral registration officers can run it through existing contact lists at minimal cost during the annual canvass period.
Research question
"Can SMS reminders increase voter registration among eligible non-registrants?"
Methodology
Intervention
SMS text messages with varied messaging frames sent to unregistered eligible voters
Assignment
Randomized controlled trial (individual)
Sample size
~50,000 unregistered eligible voters
Primary outcome
Voter registration within 30 days
Effect estimate
+1.5 to +3 pp registration rate depending on message frame
Decision
SMS outreach adopted by multiple local authorities for annual canvass
Result
Positive
+1.5 to +3 pp registration rate depending on message frame
Evidence strength
Strong
Randomized controlled trial with large sample.
Replication status
Partially replicated
Institution
UK Electoral Commission / Local authorities
Location
United Kingdom
Year
2022
Policy area
Voter Engagement
Mechanism
Information