Developing an Innovative Phone Program to Connect with Rural Voters
In 2024 Great Society Strategies worked alongside the Idaho Democratic Party and engaged in phone operations across the state. The Republicans have a firm grip on the Gem State, having controlled both legislative houses since 1961 and having not sent a Democrat to Congress since the “Blue Wave” of 2008. The Republicans have enjoyed a decades-long majority that could not be broken in a single cycle, and with Trump at the top of the ticket, Republicans statewide had just as much power as ever. For Great Society Strategies and the Idaho Dems, the goal was to establish a phone program that could serve as a line of defense for Idaho’s blue districts.
Project Details
Mobilizing Idaho’s Electorate
Great Society Strategies worked with campaigns primarily in rural districts throughout Idaho, which are dominated by Republicans. With such small populations, these local elections can truly swing the balance of power in state government—but that does not make winning easy. With Trump at the top of the ticket, Idaho Republicans were unlikely to lose a general election, and thus our phone efforts were largely focused on securing the seats of Idaho’s most vulnerable Democrats.
Tactics
Our Approach to Phonebanking
At Great Society Strategies, we developed a groundbreaking phone campaign designed to address the challenges of modern phonebanking while maximizing voter engagement. Unlike many campaigns that rely heavily on predictive dialers, our program exclusively utilized manual dialing through the campaign’s VAN system. This approach proved far superior, particularly as predictive dialers face plummeting contact rates due to carriers flagging their calls as spam. To counter these challenges, we implemented an innovative strategy: staffing a paid phonebank with out-of-state callers who used Google Voice numbers matched to local area codes. This allowed us to achieve contact rates exceeding 10%, even after three passes through the target universe—a rate far above industry norms. Recognizing the difficulty of hiring Democratic organizers in Idaho, we leveraged out-of-state labor while investing heavily in training. Each phonebanker received district-specific preparation, including tailored lessons, quizzes, and coaching sessions that honed their understanding of local candidates, regional dynamics, and key issues such as public land use and property taxes. This meticulous approach ensured that our callers could handle any voter question with confidence and accuracy. Our strategy not only addressed the unique challenges of rural districts, where predictive dialers often fail, but also created a highly effective program that stood out as a bright spot in an otherwise challenging cycle for Democrats. By prioritizing quality over automation, we delivered results that set a new standard for phonebanking campaigns.
Results
Legislative District 6
- Republicans were able to defend these rural districts, and Representatives McCann and Mitchell were able to win their third terms.
- In the 6th District, 5,410 calls were made and the contact rate was 12%, a strong number compared to national averages.
Legislative District 15
- Our phone program helped Steve Berch defend seat 15A, winning one of the most competitive races this cycle, while Republicans held on to seat 15B, highlighting our successful efforts in Boise.
- Over 6,900 calls were made in the 15th District, with an overall contact rate of 9%
Legislative District 26
- Our phone program helped Ned Burns, an Wood River Valley restaurateur who held seat 26A, but was defeated in the general election by Republican Mike Pohanka, while Republican Jack Nelson held on to 26B.
- Democrats were able to defend the Senate seat in this district, defeating Republican Laurie Lickey and Independent Candidate Kala Tate.
- Our phone program made 7,757 calls with a contact rate of 11%, displaying how our focused approach and strategies helped keep Democrats in power.
Legislative District 29
- Our phone program strengthened the campaign of Nate Roberts, an electrician who was elected to seat 29B in 2022, but defeated by Republican Tanya Burgoyne in 2024. Republican Dustin Manwaring won his 3rd term in seat 29A.
- Our efforts in voter outreach led to 4,292 calls being made with a contact rate of 9%, showing how our work is effective in defending Democratic candidates in our country’s rural areas.
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