Elections as Direct Mail Pieces
Evan Manvel
There are a lot of fascinating parts of elections – the candidates, the measures, the ads, the donor lists, the grassroots efforts, the media coverage. Yet I’m also fascinated with the details of how elections are run and how that affects the outcome.
Take, for example, the outside of the envelope that our ballots come in. In big, bright letters, this election’s envelope says “CONTAINS VOTE ON PROPOSED TAX INCREASE.”
That statement is required by ORS 250.038, a law passed by the 1999 Legislature. Perhaps the Republican-led legislature thought such language would increase the turn-out of Republicans, and make it harder to pass tax measures. Perhaps the bill gained support as it helped ensure people would vote, allowing us to reach the double majority requirement. Anyone want to provide additional history?
As far as I can tell, that highlight of taxes is the only thing on the envelope about the content of the ballot and the election. As someone who’s designed a fair number of pieces of direct mail, I understand the importance of the envelope – figuring out the “teaser” that will encourage people to open the envelope (a big part of the battle with direct mail). The envelope design choices include: Who’s listed as the return address? Do you use a stamp or an imprint? Do you hand-write the addresses? And what “teaser” language increases the importance of the contents, so someone pays attention instead of recycling the mail or tossing it in a pile to be forgotten?
I don’t think envelope teasers are required in Oregon for ballot subject matters other than taxes. Amending Oregon’s Constitution requires a statement at the start of the ballot title - "Amends Constitution:", but nothing on the envelope. We get squat notice that our ballots include voting on U.S. Senators, who pass laws funding wars, changing our health care, increasing or decreasing our workplace protections, and protecting clean water. Yet a $10-a-year levy requires bold letters on the envelope.
We have a somewhat rare responsibility in Oregon, with our mail-focused elections. So, BlueOregon readers – if you had your druthers, what would you do to the envelope? Any thoughts on how to really motivate people if you want increased turn-out? “Millions of people are voting: join them!” “You may be a winner of a new Governor!”? "Failure to Open this Envelope May Result in Politicians You Don't Like"?
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9:14 a.m.
Oct 21, '10
Put a web link to Politifact on it.
10:34 a.m.
Oct 21, '10
I think requiring people to use their own stamps on the return envelope amounts to a poll tax. For all the stuff government does, can we not afford the postage for the most important documents next to our constitution? I mean seriously. It is just one more little barrier that statistically may not be all the significant in terms of stopping people from voting but maybe morally it is a wrong.
1:15 p.m.
Oct 21, '10
I would say its more of a convienience fee if anything. There are many drop locations they can place thier ballot without paying.
10:55 a.m.
Oct 21, '10
Agreed that they should be postage-paid. Though using drop boxes and voting at the elections department are alternatives, they are much less convenient. The money we've saved with mail-in elections should help fund postage paid envelopes.
11:04 a.m.
Oct 21, '10
Agreed. Why these are not postage paid is stupfying.
11:03 a.m.
Oct 21, '10
It should instead say in the same font size, etc. "CONTAINS YOUR BALLOT"
12:40 p.m.
Oct 21, '10
"VOTE OR ELSE!"
12:40 p.m.
Oct 21, '10
"RETURN TO SENDER AFTER VOTING"
12:41 p.m.
Oct 21, '10
"YOU'VE WON! OPEN NOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE"
1:17 p.m.
Oct 21, '10
Evan, great post. That's a statute that ought to be on lots of people's lists to change.
In 2007, as Oregon spentt $1.1 billion in unanticipated revenue, OCPP tried to get the Governor to put a message on the envelopes with the check. He refused, so we ran an envelope message contest. See the results here.
I think the message on ballots ought to appeal to right and responsibility of citizens to be an effective manager of public structures.
4:33 p.m.
Oct 21, '10
This is an interesting post, Evan.
My ballot (Deschutes County) doesn't have any tax language. I checked out ORS 250.038, and it only applies to local option taxes and other local tax issues, not state-level tax votes, as I read it. So that explains that.
That this could differ county by county as part of a statewide election is sort of interesting to me.
I have no clue to what degree this really matters, but it's certainly possible that it's led to some strange and unintended consequences.
I'd imagine any mention of a vote on tax rates would disproportionately turn out voters that were more singularly concerned with tax rates... Lots of people blindly want to lower taxes without making policy considerations. Far fewer want to blindly raise them. Hard to see how this isn't an advantage for Republicans at some level.
9:58 a.m.
Oct 22, '10
If I had my druthers? "VOTING REPUBLICAN IS A LEADING CAUSE OF IMPOTENCE"
1:45 p.m.
Oct 22, '10
Postage paid is like giving money to vote. It is against the rules to give someone a stamp to make it easier for them to vote. I have a question of Evan. What do you think of going to all the trouble of becoming a PCP and then never responding to the responsibilities of what that elected/appointed job entails? Getting out the vote is extremely important in Multnomah County right now, agreed??
9:45 p.m.
Oct 22, '10
Please cite a statute or OAR that says the state can't cover ballot postage.
4:10 p.m.
Oct 25, '10
Colleen - there's a difference between giving someone a stamp and having a postage paid envelope.
If the postage paid envelope can only be used to mail something to the elections department, it's hard to see how that's being paid to vote.
Do you have any case law to cite?