Getting Out the Vote

Experiments in voter mobilization among immigrants and natives in Norway

Report | Date: 09/05/2016 | Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development

Originally published by: Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation

This report describes the results of two sets of randomized Get-Out-the-Vote experiments, testing the effectiveness of mailmobilization appeals directed at immigrants as well as SMStext messages directed at both immigrants and native voters inNorway.

The experiments were fielded prior to the September 14, 2015 Norwegian
municipal elections.

The results show that GOTV mobilization drives amongimmigrant communities can be quite effective. The same is truefor GOTV campaigns directed at another low turnout group:young voters. These results indicate that the mobilization toolsused in the experiments could be employed to raise turnout infuture Norwegian elections.

Authors: Johannes Bergh, Institute for Social Research, Dag Arne Christensen, Uni Research Rokkan Centre and Richard E. Matland, Loyola University.