How phone append works
You send the voter file your campaign is authorized to use, in whatever format the county or state gave you. We match each voter's name and address against a commercial phone data provider and run a free match count. You get the number of cell phones found and a fixed price. Once you approve and pay, the finished file usually comes back the same day.
Only the fields needed for matching leave our hands: voter ID, name, and address. Party, birth date, and voting history are never sent to the phone data provider.
- Send the file you already have, as CSV or Excel
- Free match count before any charge
- Fixed price based on the numbers actually found
- Usually back the same day after payment
What you get back
You get your original rows back with a cell phone column added next to each matched voter, so the file still lines up with your walk lists, mail lists, and voter IDs. Only mobile numbers are included, no landlines.
The numbers are yours to use for your campaign, including in any texting platform, dialer, or spreadsheet. Each number is also flagged if it is on the National Do Not Call Registry, so your team can decide how to use it.
- Original rows and voter IDs preserved
- Mobile numbers only, no landlines
- Do Not Call Registry flag on every number
- Works with any texting platform or dialer
Match rates to expect
On a recent citywide file of roughly 70,000 voters, about 45 percent matched to a cell phone number. Narrowing the same file to voters who cast a ballot in a recent election raised the rate to about 55 percent, because active voters tend to have current contact records.
Rates vary by area, age, and how current the addresses on your file are. The free match count tells you the real number for your list before you decide.
Pricing
The minimum order is $149. Larger lists come to about 4 cents per cell number found. You only pay for numbers we actually find, and the price is fixed before you pay.
If the full file costs more than you planned, narrow it first. Filtering by ward, precinct, party, age, or voting history lowers the count and the price, and the free match count reruns on the smaller list.
Calling and texting rules for campaigns
Political calls and texts are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry, but federal rules still apply to cell phones. Autodialed calls and texts, and prerecorded voice messages, need the voter's prior express consent. Texts sent without autodialing technology, such as person-to-person texting where a volunteer sends each message, can go out without prior consent. Every campaign must honor a request to stop.
This is a summary, not legal advice. Check the FCC guidance and any state rules before your first call or text.
Sources: FCC: Political campaign robocalls and robotexts rules
What we need from you
Send the voter file, which voters you want numbers for, and your deadline. You must be authorized to use the file for election purposes under your state's rules. VoterFile does not sell voter files, so the list always starts with the one your campaign obtained.
- The voter file your campaign obtained from the county or state
- Which voters to include: the whole file or a filtered group
- Your deadline for the first call or text
Prefer to start by email?
Send the state, race, roughly how many voters are on the file, and your deadline. We reply with the next step for a free match count. Do not attach the voter file to this first email.
Example prices
Rounded examples using typical match rates and the published pricing. They are not quotes for a real campaign. Your free match count gives the exact figures for your list.
| List | Cell numbers | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Whole city, 60,000 voters | About 27,000 | About $1,080 |
| One district, 15,000 recent voters | About 8,100 | About $325 |
| A few precincts, 5,000 recent voters | About 2,750 | $149 minimum |
Find out how many cell numbers your list will get.
Tell us the state, race, and deadline. We confirm the file, run a free match count, and send a fixed price before anything is charged.
Questions
How much does voter file phone append cost?
The minimum order is $149, and larger lists come to about 4 cents per cell number found. You see the count and the fixed price from a free match count before paying.
How long does it take?
The free match count usually comes back the same day you send the file. After you approve and pay, the finished file usually comes back the same day.
Do I pay for voters without a phone number?
No. The price is based only on the cell numbers actually found on your list.
Are these cell phones or landlines?
Cell phones only, no landlines. Each number is also flagged if it is on the National Do Not Call Registry.
Can my campaign text these numbers?
Yes, with the right method. Under FCC rules, texts sent without autodialing technology, such as person-to-person texting, do not need prior consent. Autodialed texts to cell phones do. Every campaign must honor a request to stop.
Does this work outside California?
Yes. Phone append works on a voter file from any state, as long as your campaign is authorized to use that file for election purposes.
Who sees my voter file?
Only the voter ID, name, and address are sent to the phone data provider, and only for matching. Party, birth date, and voting history stay with us.