The Political Campaign Printing Checklist: What to Print Before Early Voting and Election Day 

With early voting just around the corner, campaign activity picks up, and printed materials need to be ready to keep pace. Campaign managers often ensure volunteers, events, and outreach efforts have what they need, while also handling urgent orders and last-minute changes. Having a clear printing plan keeps everything on track and gives teams more time for other important work. This checklist covers what to prepare, when to order, and which materials to focus on before voting starts.

You’ll need almost everything you’d expect: flyers, door hangers, postcards, yard signs, banners, volunteer materials, and voter reminders. These are campaign staples because they help with daily outreach, and teams usually plan, design, and prepare them well before voting starts. 

Aside from learning what to print, it’s also important to know the best time to order, receive, and use these materials. 

Election Day Printing Requires Advance Planning

The campaign’s final month often brings the biggest printing demands. You might need to reorder materials at the last minute, print extra supplies for volunteers, or create new signs and updated messaging. Having a clear checklist and schedule helps you stay ahead, avoid running out of materials, and keep your voter-contact efforts on track during these busy times. 

In the last 90 days, campaigns often focus on voter outreach, field work, and turnout planning. Dividing this time into 30-day segments helps teams plan for print needs, match materials with fieldwork, and shift from persuasion to GOTV. 

Take this time to focus on educating and persuading voters. Make sure your main materials are stocked and ready for direct mail, community events, neighborhood outreach, and other planned voter-contact efforts. 

Check your messaging, branding, quantities, and distribution plans now. Keeping a reliable inventory will help your campaign expand outreach as Election Day gets closer. 

Print Materials Needed

Candidate Flyers 

Candidate flyers help keep your campaign message in front of people at community events, town halls, fundraisers, and neighborhood meetings during the last 90 days. 

Checklist 

• Candidate biography: Add a short introduction about the candidate’s background. 
• Core campaign message: Share the campaign’s main priorities and positions clearly. 
• Contact information: List contact details so people can ask questions or get involved. 
• Website and social media: Point voters to the campaign’s website and social media for updates. 
• Call to action: Let readers know what you want them to do next. 

Direct Mail Postcards 

Deliver direct-mail postcards with your campaign message directly to specific voter groups during the important months before the election. 

Checklist 

• Audience segments: Decide which voter groups should get each mailing. 
• Voter concerns: Make sure each postcard speaks to what matters most to that audience. 
• Mailing dates: Plan mailings to go out around important campaign dates. 
• Campaign branding: Keep colors, logos, fonts, and visuals consistent. 
• Election information: Add voting details if they help support your message. 

Yard Signs 

Yard signs help people see the candidate’s name repeatedly in neighborhoods, on busy streets, at supporters’ homes, and in other allowed spots across the district. 

Checklist 

• Inventory: Count how many signs you have before ordering more. 
• Distribution plan: Figure out how to get signs to supporters and locations. 
• Sign requests: Keep track of who asks for signs, so you don’t miss anyone or send extras by mistake. 
• High-traffic locations: Find allowed spots where lots of people will see the signs. 
• Installation team: Assign volunteers to efficiently put up and hand out signs.

As fieldwork gets busier, check that your print materials help volunteers connect with voters. Get ready ahead of time by matching what you have to your planned routes, volunteer shifts, events, and target neighborhoods. 

Keep an eye on how fast your most-used materials run out and order more when needed. This way, you will always have enough supplies as fieldwork grows. 

Print Materials Needed 

Walk Cards 

Equip team members and volunteers with concise candidate information cards for their outreach and also provide voters with a useful reference to review after doorstep conversations. 

Checklist 

• Candidate summary: Give a short introduction to the candidate and their background. 
• Key priorities: Point out the campaign issues that matter most to voters. 
• Endorsements: Show important endorsements that support the campaign’s message. 
• Website information: Tell voters where to find the campaign website for more details. 
• Voting details: List the correct dates, locations, and instructions for voting. 

Door Hangers 

Door hangers help you reach more people by leaving campaign messages and voting info at homes where no one answers the door. 

Checklist 

• Early voting dates: Clearly show when early voting starts and ends. 
• Election Day information: Give the election date and the key details voters need. 
• Call to action: Tell voters exactly what to do next. 
• District-specific messaging: Adjust the information to fit what matters most in each district. 
• Precinct targeting: Decide which precincts should get door hangers first. 

Volunteer Recruitment Flyers 

Volunteer recruitment flyers help turn interest in the campaign into action by outlining ways people can join events or support their outreach. 

Checklist 

• Volunteer opportunities: List clear ways supporters can help out. 
• Contact information: Give a simple way for people to reach campaign organizers. 
• Signup link: Include a QR code or an easy registration link. 
• Event schedule: Point out upcoming activities where volunteers can help. 
• Distribution locations: Pick spots where likely volunteers will notice the flyers.

In the last month, focus more on getting supporters involved in GOTV efforts and making sure everyone has clear voting information. Get materials ready for early voting, absentee voting, Election Day, and any important deadlines so each outreach shares up-to-date details. 

Match the number of materials you need with the campaign’s GOTV calendar and set up reorder points for items that volunteers will hand out a lot in the last weeks. 

Print Materials Needed 

GOTV Door Hangers 

GOTV door hangers help turn the last round of neighborhood canvassing into a reminder for voters. They give people the key information they need to make sure their vote is counted. 

Include the following information: 

• Voting dates 
• Polling hours 
• Polling location information 
• Vote-by-mail reminders 
• Clear voting instructions 

Checklist 

• Voting information: Check that all voting dates, hours, locations, and instructions are correct. 
• Distribution routes: Assign distribution routes to cover the most important neighborhoods and precincts. 
• Volunteer inventory: Make sure each canvassing team has enough materials. 
• Backup quantities: Order extra materials for new routes and last-minute GOTV efforts. 

The Last Seven Days Checklist  

In the last week, focus on putting your plans into action rather than creating another print program. Make sure to check your inventory, sort materials by activity, and catch any shortages early so you have time to reprint if needed. 

If you have a tight budget or limited time for printing, focus first on materials that help you reach voters and boost turnout on Election Day. Print the most important field materials first, then use any leftover resources for general campaign visibility.

Awareness → Persuasion → Turnout 

Campaigns that do well in the final weeks usually planned their print strategy ahead of time. When volunteers have walk cards and door hangers, voters get timely reminders, and events have clear signage, campaign managers can keep everything running smoothly during the most important part of the election.