Blue Ballot Flyers Work

By Martha Merson

Need a last minute boost to help elect Dems “down ballot?” One NC county has the key.

Ahead of the November 2023 election, worried about “roll-off,” meaning the Democratic tendency to vote only at the top of the ticket, Mecklenburg County NC Dems devised a strategy: Blue Ballots. 

“We gave out Blue Ballot flyers to about half the voters,” said David Foulser, an activist in Charlotte. “They increased votes for the three endorsed candidates in a school board race by 4 to 5 percent. And all three candidates the Dems endorsed won. The Blue ballots even gave a boost to the candidate who finished third.”

Research shows that Dems, more often than Republicans, leave the lower half of ballots blank. Either they aren’t sure who to vote for or don’t care about local races. That’s why a handy “Blue Ballot” guide reassures voters who haven’t had time or made time to do research before voting. “This is how Democrats have to work if they want to win statewide offices,” Foulser added. 

This blue ballot flyer (above) helped Huntersville, NC Democrats elect a mayor and six councilors, sweeping all seven seats in what had been a Republican-run town government.

DIY — it’s not too late!

First, there's still time to design and print your own Blue Ballots for November 5. Using any graphics program, you can make your ballot in an hour or so, print 1,000 in another hour, and get them to your canvassers.

Second, design makes a difference. When the flyer’s sequence of names and offices mirror the actual ballot, voters can easily match names to candidates and keep on voting. A few websites, such as Venngage and PostermyWall even offer templates for designing Blue Ballots.

Third, Blue Voter Guides have limits. Some polling places prohibit handing out flyers. In such districts, precinct captains will try to hand deliver the handy guides. But despite restrictions, Foulser predicts that two-thirds of Mecklenburg’s voters will receive ballot guides during early voting and on Election Day.

Fourth, set reasonable expectations. Blue ballot flyers will have an uneven effect. The further down the ballot you go, where candidates have less name recognition, the more difference a blue ballot flyer is likely to have.

“Based on the last election,” Foulser said, “I’m a believer. I’m convinced that a well-designed Blue Ballot flyer will turn voters into votes all the way down the ballot.”