The Voter Contact Initiative is the College Republican National Committee’s signature national field program: our boots-on-the-ground, grassroots effort to elect Republicans up and down the ballot. Formerly known as Volunteer Strike Force, this initiative channels the energy and talent of College Republicans into the most competitive races in the country.

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Through phone calls, text messaging, door-to-door canvassing, and digital organizing, College Republicans are contacting voters individually to persuade undecided voters and ensure conservative voters make it to the polls, all with the goal of Republican Victory!

Why it matters

We know that the single most effective tool we have in shaping the outcome of elections is one-on-one, direct voter contact. Elections are won with real conversations, changing hearts and minds and moving like-minded voters to action. This is about more than any one single election. It’s about shaping the future of our nation, one voter at a time.

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What we do

  • Train students in campaign strategy and effective voter engagement
  • Co-Host call nights on campus with chapters
  • Deploy volunteers to high-priority races
  • Provide remote opportunities to engage voters throughout the campaign cycle

The Voter Contact Initiative assembles college students to connect directly with voters in competitive districts. We provide the resources, education, and opportunities to make calls, send messages, and speak directly with voters in person.

 FAQs

  • Our programs are geared toward College Republicans who are 18 years or older, but the Voter Contact Initiative welcomes help from all!

    For safety and fairness, some portions of our programming (like overnight lodging or CRNC co-hosted campus call nights) are restricted to those who are members of their local College Republicans chapter, but anyone can join our effort to make calls or knock doors.

    Anyone under the age of 18, regardless of their membership status, must contact us before signing up.

  • No prior experience is required! We’ll teach you everything you need to know.

    Once you fill out the interest form, we’ll reach out to you with more information about the different ways you can get involved and you can decide how you’d like to help out.

  • The Voter Contact Initiative provides volunteers with a mix of voter outreach activities including:

    • going door-to-door to talk to voters, also called canvassing

    • making phone calls to voters

    • hosting campus call nights, also called a phone bank

    • providing miscellaneous support to the VCI operation and the campaigns it supports.

  • You can volunteer as much (or as little) time as you have! From one hour of making phone calls one time to regularly making calls, hosting campus call nights, and deploying to knock doors, volunteers can choose their level of commitment.

    The more time you put in, the greater impact you will have!

  • No, this is a volunteer program. Depending on what level of support you commit to, you may include the experience on your resume and be eligible to receive a letter of recommendation from the CRNC. Contact us for more information.

  • Most of our programming is fully paid for by the CRNC for members, so you can focus on making an impact!

    Volunteering to Make Calls
    The CRNC provides the training, tech support, and digital platform for you to make calls. This can be done from your laptop or phone.

    Hosting a Campus Call Night
    The CRNC provides the training, tech support, and digital platform for students who are making calls. We also provide food and organizing support. Students must bring their own device (laptop or phone) from which to make calls.

    Canvassing/Knocking Doors
    The CRNC covers or heavily subsidizes most costs associated with the Weekend of Action, which this year includes sending students to Virginia to knock doors October 24-26. Lodging and meals will be provided, and reimbursements for travel costs will be made available. The details and stipulations of this will be provided to those who are interested once we finalize more details.
    The CRNC will coordinate with local chapters and individuals in New Jersey and Virginia to determine what support is needed locally in order to host chapter and/or state-wide events to canvas and to engage in routine canvassing.

  • Both New Jersey and Virginia have highly competitive gubernatorial elections this year. Our efforts could easily swing one or both of these races if we show up in force!