The Problem

Turnout in local elections—especially among voters aged 18–35—is alarmingly low. In May municipal elections, participation often drops below 15%, and younger voters are the least likely to receive or access basic election information. Without clear, accessible resources, these voters are left out of critical local decisions.

The Study

Instead of a traditional direct mail experiment, this iteration of the Texas Voter Project will test a digital voter guide delivered via email to a targeted list of registered voters aged 18–35 in San Antonio.

The guide will include:

• Key information on how, where, and when to vote

• Nonpartisan, bilingual summaries of the mayoral candidates

• A link to a digital survey designed to measure recipient experience, understanding, and motivation

Voters will receive a small digital incentive (via Visa gift card) to complete the survey, allowing us to gather meaningful quantitative data on the guide’s effectiveness.

The Goal

To measure how informed, accessible voter education materials impact voter confidence and potential turnout decisions—even in lower-salience, off-cycle elections.

Why It Matters

This research helps us test a scalable model to engage underrepresented voters—and generate real data that can inform civic engagement strategies in Texas and beyond.

Compliance

This study is nonpartisan, research-based, and fiscally sponsored by Goodnation Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Budget Tiers

We’ve designed a tiered budget model based on scale and depth of analysis. Each level supports more robust outreach, survey participation, and actionable data collection.