Lessons from the COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign: Getting People Out to Vote

While walking my dog in DC nearly three years ago today, masked up and socially distanced, I got the call from my office that the COVID-19 vaccine trials were finishing, and public vaccinations would begin availability in the coming month. As a social media manager working through an agency for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), I knew that this meant our team had a herculean task ahead of us: convince the leary public to take an action about which many people had misgivings and some, outright distrust.

While not perfect, the COVID-19 vaccination campaign taught us valuable lessons on how to mobilize people to take action for the benefit of their communities and themselves. Just as asking people to get vaccinated was a call to protect public health, encouraging people to vote emphasizes civic responsibility and community well-being. Here are three of my key takeaways from the vaccine campaign that can help to increase voter turnout.

1. Connect Individual Action with Community Impact

Both vaccines and voting ask people to take action for their own benefit as well as the community’s. In both cases, the main message should be about how each person’s decision contributes to a larger impact. For example, just as the COVID vaccine was crucial in preventing the spread of illness and protecting vulnerable groups, each vote cast can help shape policies that influence everyone’s quality of life. Framing the call to action in terms of collective well-being and personal empowerment helps create a sense of purpose and unity.

It also helps to depersonalize a message when you’re making a call to action. With vaccines, someone may think “Oh, if I get sick I’ll be ok in the end, so what does it matter.” When you remind an individual that their choice not only affects themselves, but their elderly next door neighbor who lives with chronic health conditions and can’t get vaccinated, it becomes that person's responsibility to be a good citizen and protect their neighbor.

2. Remove Barriers and Make It Easy

Many people avoid both voting and getting vaccinated because of perceived barriers. During the pandemic, mobile vaccination clinics, workplace vaccine sites, and extended pharmacy hours made it easier for people to get vaccinated. Similarly, making voting as accessible as possible—whether through early voting, mail-in ballots, or improved polling access—can help people overcome logistical challenges and make it more likely they’ll take action.

Furthermore, providing clear information on when and how to vote, just like with vaccine eligibility, demystifies the process and eliminates confusion. Lowering logistical and informational barriers makes it easier for people to follow through on their intention to vote. 

3. Use Supportive, Non-Judgmental Messaging

One of the most effective aspects of successful vaccination campaigns was their focus on positive, supportive messaging rather than judgment or shame. Funny enough, I learned this lesson from the most unlikely of sources: birth control and contraception. Public health officials and college clinics have known for decades that people are more likely to use condoms and birth control when the messaging around them is positive and supportive rather than from a place of shame. Similarly, as people were more likely to get vaccinated when they felt encouraged and understood, voters are more likely to respond to calls for civic participation when messages come from a place of encouragement. Voter campaigns that focus on celebrating participation and offering support without judgment tend to be more effective in inspiring action, as they foster a welcoming atmosphere rather than pressuring people into compliance.

The impact of the distrust campaigns around vaccines and voting will take decades for our society to undo, and who knows what the impact will be during that time. By implementing these lessons, voter mobilization campaigns can tap into a strategy that has proven successful in motivating people to take positive action for themselves and their communities. 

Empowerment, accessibility, and encouragement can go a long way in ensuring people feel motivated to make a difference at the polls.