Incentive Experiments with Mail-to-Web and Text-to-Web Post-Election Surveys

Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center 

Mail-to-web surveys for address-based samples is a well-established methodology, but mail production timelines can be too rigid to boost response rates efficiently. Text messaging, in contrast, can be scaled up quickly, with the drawback of mismatches between address-based records and phone numbers. VPC and CVI have fielded post-election surveys among voters eligible for our GOTV mail since 2023. To ensure response and reach underrepresented groups, we used both recruitment modes along with monetary incentives.

We embedded a randomized experiment into the 2025 survey to test if response rates vary by incentive amounts under each mode. The survey targets included those under 35, people of color, and unmarried women. Some of these groups may be harder to survey, providing a test case to measure effects of incentives on not only rates of response but also its composition. We created two experimental conditions for each mode with these incentives: $0 vs. $5 (text) and $3 vs. $5 (mail). The analysis will present effects on response rates and cost/complete and examine if changing incentives affect potential respondent traits, including demographics and past political participation.

mail-to-web survey

text-to-web survey

survey response rates

survey incentives

underrepresented groups

survey sample composition 

Survey Research Methods Section