Around the country, businesses are closed, families are quarantined, children are homeschooled, and public gatherings are not allowed, however one sector of society continues to roll forward: political campaigns.

Yet, as political consultant Cory Christensen explained in Win by Cell’s recent webinar, traditional methods of campaigning have gone out the window.

“We can’t have rallies anymore. That’s just completely off the table. People don’t want you showing up at their door, and they certainly don’t want you handing them things,” says Christensen. “The big companies that are usually big donors to politics have no budget anymore. The last thing they are doing is giving money away.”

So how can a candidate capture voters’ attention and win their seat?

Christensen explained that every candidate has social media, but it’s hard to track the effectiveness when there’s limited data. Candidates can put outdoor signs everywhere, but traffic is down while people stay home. And although mailers are still relevant, they are quickly thrown in the trash. 

“Everyone always has a phone. That has to be the communication tool. Handhelds is where everything is at,” says Christensen.

To overcome the challenges that COVID-19 has brought to campaigning, several of Christensen’s candidates are using a text messaging platform from Win by Cell.

So how do candidates ask for money, given today’s economic crisis?

For Christensen’s candidates, the common neighbor-to-neighbor campaign strategy is now achieved through texting. 

With all the unique challenges that the coronavirus pandemic has brought to campaigning, there’s no question that mobile tools provide valuable solutions to voter engagement. 

 “The first text contact is from someone that they know. It makes it extremely personal. Then, we’re getting them to opt-in to receive future texts. Peer-to-peer, that’s been magic.”