DAGA’s First-of-Its-Kind Voter Education Program Reached More Than Five Million Voters in More Than a Dozen States  

Program Activated in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Texas, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia

Washington, D.C.— With under two weeks until Election Day, the Democratic Attorneys General Association (@DemocraticAGs) announced they have reached a milestone five million voters in more than a dozen states through the organization’s first-of-its-kind volunteer-to-voter education texting program. As the only voter outreach program texting specifically on Attorney General races, DAGA’s texting program educates voters about races in key states and gives voters an opportunity to share concerns they want Attorney General candidates to address. This cycle, DAGA activated texting in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Texas, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia

“For too long, AG races flew under the radar, and now thanks to innovative platforms like our volunteer-to-voter texting program, voters across the country are paying attention to this critical office,” said Sean Rankin, Executive Director at the Democratic Attorneys General Association. “With less than two weeks until Election Day, we know our texting program is driving our candidates’ name ID and making sure the electorate has other key information needed at the ballot box.”

This volunteer-to-voter texting program runs with support from Open Progress and oPro by Open Progress, a group that connects digital volunteers to progressive causes nationwide. Our joint program’s success began with a pilot in Virginia during the 2017 race and since expanded to include more than a dozen states in 2018 and supported the development of a new tool called Knock!.

“Texting has really changed the game as far as offering a way to for people to get involved in—and informed about—politics from the comfort of just about anywhere,” said Elizabeth Haynes, Co-Founder Open Progress and oPro by Open Progress. “Democratic AGs are so important to protecting our democracy and standing up for the most vulnerable in our communities—and we are proud to be working with DAGA to educate voters about the office and to elevate AG candidates who will put their needs first.”

DAGA moved from a part-time committee in Denver to a professional operation in Washington, D.C. two years ago, and has since continued to prioritize innovation, digital tools, data, and relationship building as key elements to providing political and policy support for Democratic Attorneys General and candidates. Our volunteer-to-voter texting program aligns with the committee’s efforts to educate voters, elevate Democratic Attorneys General and candidates, and generate excitement around Attorney General races.

On a related track, DAGA joined a broad coalition of leading progressive political organizations to launch ‘The Last Weekend’, an unprecedented cultural and political initiative to catalyze nationwide volunteering leading up to and including the last weekend before the midterm elections (Sat 11/3 – Tues 11/6). The Last Weekend is the first time major progressive groups have united at this scale in a strong, coordinated effort to support Democratic candidates up and down the ticket and across the country. DAGA will bring volunteers into the texting program both for GOTV weekend as well as for state-specific opportunities tied to Attorneys General races.

Additionally, DAGA collaborates with General Assembly (GA), a pioneer in education and career transformation in fields such as coding, data, and design, to build career pathways into the political committee ecosystem. Over the course of the 2018 cycle and beyond, DAGA will hire GA alumni to serve as web development and graphic design fellows to support DAGA’s mission to elect and support Democratic Attorneys General.