Table of Contents
A Wisconsin civic engagement organization, disconnected tools holding back field organizers, and a power dialer that finally kept canvassers connected and moving. Here is how we partnered with Wisconsin Voices to deliver a higher-than-expected voter turnout.
About Wisconsin Voices
Wisconsin Voices is a statewide civic engagement organization running voter outreach campaigns across Wisconsin. With a mission rooted in building political power through direct constituent contact, their field programs depend on the ability to reach low-propensity voters reliably and at scale.
For organizations running elections-focused campaigns, the quality of the dialing infrastructure is not a secondary concern. Connect rates, downtime between calls, and the ability to pivot messaging in real time are the operational variables that determine whether a field program hits its targets. The platform they run on is a frontline resource.
We have had the privilege of partnering with their Data Manager since they came onboard. This is their story.
The Problem: Disconnected Tools and Dead Time in the Field
Before CallHub, Wisconsin Voices managed outreach through tools that created friction at the point where it hurts most: between one call and the next. Canvassers were experiencing significant downtime between connected calls, a problem that compounds quickly across a field program with hundreds of active agents.
The broader challenge was integration. Getting their VAN data and their outreach platform to speak to each other required manual coordination that added overhead to every campaign cycle. For a data-driven organization, the inability to trust that the right lists were always current was a constant source of operational risk.
The decision to find a new platform was initiated by the Communications and Digital Director. Wisconsin Voices came to CallHub looking for a dialer that could keep canvassers moving and a data sync that could keep their lists current.
What the Old Setup Held Them Back From
- Excessive downtime between calls. Canvassers were waiting between connections, breaking the rhythm that keeps field programs productive and volunteers engaged.
- Disconnected VAN data. Without a native sync, lists required manual intervention to keep current, creating risk of outdated targeting mid-campaign.
- Limited real-time visibility. Tracking outreach results and pivoting messaging during fast-moving campaign moments was difficult without integrated reporting.
- Canvasser confidence gap. Tools that introduced friction made it harder for organizers to feel in control of their own campaigns, particularly during high-stakes final-week pushes.
The Decision: Integration, Cost, and a Dialer Built for Field Work
Wisconsin Voices chose CallHub based on three factors:
Native CRM integration Competitive pricing High Volume Dialing system. The team embraced it immediately. No extended transition period, no staff reverting to old workarounds.
How We Helped Wisconsin Voices Run Bigger, More Confident Campaigns
Power Dialer: A Steady Stream of Connected Calls
The single most important capability for Wisconsin Voices was the power dialer. In field organizing, the rhythm of the call matters as much as the call itself. When canvassers experience long stretches of dead time between connections, momentum breaks, volunteers disengage, and the program slows down.
With CallHub’s power dialer, that changed. Canvassers reported a steady stream of connected calls with significantly less downtime in between. Connection rates improved by up to 25%. The pace of the program reflected what a well-run field campaign is supposed to feel like.
“Canvassers repeatedly mentioned a steady stream of connected calls with less down time between them.”
Data Manager, Wisconsin Voices
That operational improvement translated directly into organizer confidence. When the tool works the way it should, canvassers focus on the conversation rather than the platform.
VAN Sync: Always the Right List, Always Current
Wisconsin Voices’ campaigns depend on targeting precision. Reaching low-propensity voters in the final weeks of a campaign requires knowing exactly who to call and when. With CallHub’s VAN integration, list management shifted from a manual coordination problem to a real-time data advantage.
CRM sync and real-time updates meant that the lists canvassers were working from reflected current data and not lists built days earlier that had already aged. For a data manager, that reliability is foundational. It means the targeting is trustworthy and the outreach is clean.
“I think the biggest problem was getting the interconnectivity set up in CallHub so VAN and CallHub spoke to each other.”
Data Manager, Wisconsin Voices
That setup friction is real and worth naming. Getting the integration right required effort upfront. But once it was running, the sync worked, and the operational confidence it created downstream was significant.
Real-Time Tracking: Pivot When It Matters
During fast-moving campaign moments, particularly in the final weeks before election day, Wisconsin Voices could track outreach results in real time, pivot messaging based on what they were seeing, and keep the program calibrated throughout the campaign.
The Results
Organizers and volunteers felt more confident and effective. Outreach results were trackable in real time. The program did what it was supposed to do, and then exceeded expectations at the finish line.
What Wisconsin Voices Can Do Now That Simply Was Not Possible Before
- Run high-volume dialing campaigns without dead time. A steady stream of connected calls keeps canvassers in the rhythm and the program moving at full speed.
- Target with always-current VAN data. Real-time sync eliminated the manual list-management cycle that created lag and targeting risk.
- Track results and pivot in the moment. Real-time outreach reporting means the team can respond to what they’re seeing mid-campaign, not after the fact.
- Run bigger campaigns with the same team. Less downtime and less admin overhead mean the same number of organizers can cover more ground.
- Build canvasser confidence. When the tool works smoothly, organizers focus on the conversation, not the platform.
The Bigger Picture
We asked the Data Manager what they would tell another civic engagement leader who was evaluating outreach tools. The answer was direct.
“It gave our team the confidence and tools to run bigger campaigns.”
Data Manager, Wisconsin Voices
Confidence is an underrated outcome in field organizing. When organizers trust the data and the dialer, they stop managing platform friction and spend their attention on the voter. For Wisconsin Voices, that shift showed up where it counts: in the turnout numbers.
What’s Next for Wisconsin Voices on CallHub
We are excited to keep partnering with Wisconsin Voices as they build out their organizing infrastructure for the next cycle. Here is what is in the pipeline:
- Deeper VAN integration. Further optimizing the CRM sync to support more granular targeting and real-time list updates across campaign programs.
- Expanded dialing programs. Scaling power dialing capacity to support larger volunteer and canvasser teams in upcoming election cycles.
- Integrated real-time reporting. Building on their existing real-time tracking to give field directors deeper visibility into campaign performance as it happens.
