If your race goes to a runoff, the campaign starts over on November 4 with less time, less money, and a much smaller group of voters who will actually show up. In 2026, Georgia holds its general election runoff on Tuesday, December 1, and Louisiana holds its open general election (the runoff for races where no one won a majority on November 3) on Saturday, December 12.
That gives a Georgia campaign four weeks and a Louisiana campaign about five and a half. Texting is one of the few channels you can turn back on the morning after Election Day, so it should be in your runoff plan before you need it.
Check Your Dates First
Runoff dates, early voting days and mail ballot deadlines are set by the state and run by county election offices. Confirm every date with your Georgia Secretary of State or Louisiana Secretary of State office before you text it to a voter.
Why a Runoff Changes Your Texting Plan
- The window is short. You don't have time to build a list, register numbers and write copy after November 3. Do that now.
- Fewer people vote. Runoff turnout is often lower than in the general election, so getting your own supporters back to the polls matters more than ever. Your best list is the people who already supported you.
- Holidays get in the way. In Georgia, Thanksgiving (November 26) falls in the same week as runoff early voting. Plan around it instead of texting into it.
- Voters are tired. They just got weeks of campaign mail, calls and texts. Short, specific, useful messages work; repeats of your general election script don't.
Before November 3: Get Runoff-Ready
- Keep your data clean. Save your reply tags (supporter, undecided, wrong number) and every opt-out from the general election. Never text someone in the runoff who replied STOP in October.
- Know your universe. Your runoff list starts with identified supporters and people who voted in your race. Use your state's voter file and early vote / absentee data from the election office to find them. See voter data services.
- Keep your numbers registered. Political texting runs on registered 10DLC numbers, and carriers expect the campaign to be verified. If your registration is in place for the general, check it covers the runoff period. If you're a new campaign entering a runoff, start today with our 10DLC registration guide.
- Write two drafts now. One "we made the runoff" message and one early-vote message. You'll edit names and dates on November 4, not start from a blank page.
The Runoff Week-by-Week Plan (Georgia, Dec 1)
For Louisiana's December 12 election, use the same order spread over about five and a half weeks, and confirm your parish's early voting dates with the Secretary of State.
Who to text: Identified supporters, volunteers
Goal: Thank supporters, give the date, ask for a commitment. Supporters may not know there's a runoff at all, so tell them fast.
Tag every YES. Those voters get your early vote texts. Anyone who replies with a question gets a person, not a bot. P2P texting is built for that kind of two-way conversation.
Who to text: Supporters, absentee voters
Goal: Mail ballot reminders where eligible, and volunteer recruitment.
Who to text: Undecideds, voters for eliminated candidates
Goal: If voters who backed an eliminated candidate are still in play, this is your week, if your race allows it. Keep it to one clear reason to vote for your candidate and a link to learn more. Don't send the same voter persuasion texts every day.
Who to text: Supporters who haven't voted
Goal: Send early-vote texts at the start of the week, before people leave town. Give them a specific place and time.
Pull everyone who replies 1, or who shows up in the election office's early vote data, out of the next send.
Who to text: Everyone on your list who hasn't voted
Goal: Final reminder with the polling place and hours.
On runoff day itself, follow the same rhythm as our Election Day texting timeline: morning reminder, midday chase of supporters who haven't voted, and a last call before polls close.
Mistakes That Cost Runoff Campaigns
- Re-sending the general election script. Voters notice. Write runoff-specific copy.
- Texting people who already voted. Update your list from early vote data every day you can.
- Ignoring opt-outs from the general. A STOP in October is still a STOP in December.
- Starting registration after November 3. Number registration and campaign verification take time to clear. Get it done before you need it.
- Texting a date you haven't confirmed. One wrong date to thousands of voters is worse than no text.
See also our early voting texting plan and GOTV texting.
What a Runoff Texting Program Costs
Runoff programs are usually smaller than general election programs because the universe is smaller. VoterPing texting starts from $0.04 per message, and voter data from $0.02 per record, with no monthly fees. See how political texting costs add up, or request a quote and tell us your race, your state and your runoff date.
FAQ
When is the Georgia runoff in 2026?
Georgia's general election runoff is Tuesday, December 1, 2026, four weeks after the November 3 general election. Early voting starts about a week before. Confirm your county's early voting days with the Georgia Secretary of State.
When is the Louisiana runoff in 2026?
Louisiana's open general election is Saturday, December 12, 2026, for races where no candidate won a majority on November 3. Confirm dates with the Louisiana Secretary of State.
Can I text the same voters I texted for the general election?
Yes, if they haven't opted out. Carry your opt-out list over and never re-text anyone who replied STOP. Follow carrier rules and your state's laws; this guide isn't legal advice.
How fast can VoterPing start a runoff texting program?
VoterPing can usually get you set up the same day. If your numbers aren't registered yet, start the 10DLC process right away, because carrier registration has its own timeline.