2026 Will Test Traditional Turnout Strategies. Here’s How Groups and PACs Can Fight Back

Voter suppression will take different forms this cycle. Instead of local dirty tricks it’s now redrawn congressional districts or targeted changes to election laws that could suppress midterm turnout — particularly among key groups in the Democratic coalition. 

Civitech supports the kind of voter outreach that meets this troubling moment for our democracy. We have a suite of voter engagement and registration tools that help PACs and groups reach supporters in ways that can workaround the voter-suppression tactics being used in some jurisdictions. But this is an investment that needs to be made sooner in the year than later — considering how the calendar looks for 2026.

The new systemic forms of voter suppression means that old outreach toolkits won’t work in 2026. For instance, relying primarily on the voter file is going to leave a registration and turnout program vulnerable to inaccuracy. Our research shows that even before the current round of gerrymandering took place, an average of approximately 25 percent of the electorate in any given district is different cycle-to-cycle. No opt-in registry could possibly keep up with that. Moreover, there are over 10 million unregistered eligible voters that we’re aware of.

By starting now with our nationwide voter file and proprietary data set, PACs and groups can identify these eligible voters and those most likely to be impacted by the changes in election law passed since 2024. Many of these targets — rural voters, infrequent voters, and members of the New American Majority — could be contacted multiple times before a primary if a program starts in the coming weeks.  

This cycle will be about marshaling resources the most effective ways possible. One of the ways to do that is with our platform, RunningMate, that enables campaigns to allocate budget strategically, and respond to suppression tactics in real time. 

Here are some other ways that PACs, groups and candidates can help lower barriers to midterm participation:

Know What You’re Looking For

Before designing your turnout program for 2026, you need to know what you’re up against. Depending on their location, your supporters could be facing new restrictions on vote-by-mail, polling places that are less accessible or changes to ID requirements. 

Even more troubling, unless they’re turning out in a competitive primary, they might not even know about these changes until its too late. Civitech has a mail solution where we send out step-by-step instructions to people on how to register and cast their ballots — a tactic that’s scientifically proven to help ensure their turnout in November. 

Start With Registration

Since 2020, some jurisdictions have sought to make the voter registration process insanely complicated. We help our partners make it easier for their supporters. In states where you can online register, we send mail pieces with QR codes that take the recipient right to the designated registration website. Moreover, we include customized information on polling place addresses and ID requirements from their state or local governments.

Prioritize The Hardest Hit Areas

Turnout and registration programs this cycle need to mirror disaster relief efforts. By that, we mean they need to prioritize the precincts that are most affected by voter suppression. Our proprietary data sets give clients the ability to direct their resources in the most efficient way possible, which can help make a big difference in tight races this cycle. 

Interested in a free platform demo? Reach out here to schedule one today.

Ethan Long is the Senior Content Manager at Civitech, a software company providing political technology infrastructure for progressive campaigns and organizations. Jiana Javier-Ramos is Civitech’s Content Specialist.