This article is for users who have requested an export that has been denied. The following are next steps you can take to achieve your voter contact goal within the terms of the VAN agreement.


MAIL

The DFL generally allows for exports of mailing information. This is because mailing information is available as public information in the voter file from the Secretary of State, and we generally don't expect any important data such as survey responses to come back to the campaign from a mailing. 


If you are exporting for a mailer, please be sure to note in the Detailed Summary of Usage space that you will be using the export for a mailing. We reserve the right to deny over-broad lists (for example, if your campaign tries to mail every voter in the district with no additional targeting) in order to make sure the mailer does not inadvertently activate opponent voters who would otherwise not vote.


POSTCARD LABELS

It is generally faster to print your own labels in VAN than to wait for an export to be approved. See Printing Mail Labels for step-by-step instructions.


EMAIL

VAN no longer supports the Email Blast tool. As a workaround, the DFL administers groups on Action Network for campaigns and party units who wish to send out emails. 

Action Network FAQ and Action Network - The Basics are two of our articles that are good starting points for learning more about Action Network. If you decide to sign up with the service, please fill out this form to give us some additional information on your campaign and return the agreement attached to the end of the form. 

Then, email voterfile@dfl.org to let us know that the request for an Action Network account has been completed. You must email voterfile@dfl.org. We do not get notified when you fill out the Google form.


DIGITAL ADS

If you are trying to use VAN data to target a digital ad, you will be able to use mailing fields to target, but we cannot export phones or emails for that purpose. You agreed to this when your campaign signed the VAN Agreement.


TEXTING

If you would like to use VAN data to text your voters, you will need to integrate your third-party texting platform (like ThruText, Hustle, Switchboard, etc) with VAN via an API integration. That sounds scary and technical, but it's just a matter of copying a password ("API key") from VAN to your texting platform, so that the two apps can relay data back and forth. See API Key Request for instructions on how to get that password.


The following text vendors offer an API connection with VAN. Vendors with an asterisk have previously connected with VAN for DFL campaigns in the past.

  • Hustle*
  • Impactive.io* 
  • LeftApps Switchboard*
  • Outreach Circle
  • Peerly
  • Scale to Win*
  • TextOut Civitech
  • ThruText*


If your texting platform does not provide an API connection with VAN, you will need to set up a texting plan with a vendor that does.


AUTOMATIC DIALERS

If you would like to use VAN data for an automatic dialer, you will need to integrate your third-party dialer (like ThruTalk, Scale to Win, CallHub, etc) with VAN via an API integration. That sounds scary and technical, but it's just a matter of copying a password ("API key") from VAN to your dialer, so that the two apps can relay data back and forth. See API Key Request for instructions on how to get that password.


The following dialer vendors offer an API connection with VAN. Vendors with an asterisk have previously connected with VAN for DFL campaigns in the past.

  • Call Hub*
  • Call Server (COS)
  • Scale to Win*
  • ThruTalk*


If your dialer does not provide an API connection with VAN, you will need to set up a dialer with a vendor that does.


LAWNSIGNS

If you are trying to use an Export to manage lawnsigns in your district, you should send a list of all of your lawnsign data to MiniVAN instead. Then, you can deliver or collect the lawnsigns by car, and mark off the appropriate lawnsign survey response as each lawnsign is collected or delivered. See MiniVAN User Guide and How to Send a List to MiniVAN for help on that process.


ROBOCALLS / VOICEMAIL DROPS

Per statute 325E.27, is illegal in Minnesota to robocall or voicemail people unless you can prove that you have a pre-existing business relationship with everyone on the list. There are no robocalling vendors that provide an API connection with VAN. To scale up phone contact with voters in your district, consider an autodialer or texting platform.


DATA ANALYSIS

You can analyze data within VAN using the Counts and Crosstabs feature. Please see Counts and Crosstabs for a walkthrough.


PHONE BANKING / DOOR KNOCKING

Please see the required VAN trainings for instructions on how to phone bank and canvass with the tools provided in VAN. 2023 DFL Data Training Schedule has instructions on how to access the training.