Get Out The Vote (GOTV) Just Got Easier With MiniVAN
MiniVAN is a free mobile app that replaces your paper turf packets and gives canvassers everything they need to knock doors, survey voters on the street, gather petition signatures, organize, and more. It’s easy to use and is the most efficient way to run a canvass.
It also means that your data goes into our system much faster, making it easier for us to target Get Out The Vote efforts where they are needed the most.
MiniVAN is compatible with most iOS and Android mobile devices and an active internet connection.
Logging In With ActionID
In order to use MiniVAN, you’re going to need an ActionID.
Navigate to votebuilder.com and click ‘Log in with ActionID’.
Use your existing ActionID account, or click ‘Create an ActionID account’ to get started.
Tutorial: Welcome To MiniVAN
Using the MiniVAN app is super simple, and puts all of the tools you need for GOTV at your fingertips.
Check out the this tutorial video, created by Georgia Congresswoman Deborah Gonzalez and her team, for a brief overview of the features.
Note: As the MiniVAN app is updated throughout the election cycle, the layout of the app may change slightly.
Getting Started With MiniVAN
To use MiniVAN, go to the App store on your smartphone or mobile device and search for MiniVAN Touch. Download and load the app to open.
The first screen will prompt you to either log in with your ActionID or create a new one. After logging in with your ActionID, MiniVAN will ask which part of the VAN database to access, either My Voters or My Campaign. Generally, you’ll choose My Voters. Enter the List Number that has been provided to you by the canvass organizer.
Using MiniVAN
Once the list is downloaded, the first thing to appear is a list of addresses. Open the Menu (3 lines) in the top left corner to examine options for viewing the list.
View List by Map pinpoints the addresses on a map.
View List by Household will pull up each address of targeted voters.
Clicking on the address will open up the name of the voters, and clicking on the name will load the Script View with Survey Questions (top left).
Details shows Vital Stats to help identify an individual.
Speaking to Voters
If you speak to a voter and they respond to a Survey Question in your Script, clicking the question under Script will load possible responses.
If you don’t contact the voter, dragging the circle to N (No) will load non-contact responses (like Not Home, Moved, and Refused) on the bottom left. You can also choose “I Could not Reach [Voter’s Name].”
After marking the voter with a response, Activist Code, etc. the individual’s household will change color on the map to signify an attempt was made.
Syncing Your Results
When you first open your list, you should see a message that Auto-sync is on. Canvass results will be added automatically to the database as long as you have an active data connection. You will need to be connected to WiFi or a data connection in order to download the list at the beginning of your canvass
You can also manually sync your data by using the sync icon in the right-hand corner or from the Menu at the bottom.
Always be sure to sync your data when you finish your shift, even if your turf isn’t complete.
