Sure, keep emailing that guy from 2016
Your email list isn’t aging like wine. It’s aging like unrefrigerated potato salad. If you’re still blasting out fundraising asks to ghosts, bots, and people who haven’t opened an email since your first filing deadline, this one’s for you.
Let’s email some hearts!
Nobody wants to hear the phrase “email list hygiene,” which sounds like something you’d get a cream for. But ignoring it is like ignoring your voter file — messy, outdated, and not helping you win.
This isn’t a lecture. This is a practical, judgment-free guide to keeping your campaign emails out of the spam folder and in front of actual humans.
Why This Matters
Your email list is not a trophy. It's not impressive just because it's big. If it's full of bad addresses, bots, and people who haven’t opened a message since you filed to run, it’s hurting you.
When your emails bounce, go unopened, or get flagged as spam, email providers start treating everything you send like junk — including your fundraising asks, your GOTV emails, and your big endorsement announcement. Your emails don’t get delivered, which means you lose money and momentum.
So yeah. It matters.
6 Things to Do Right Now
1. Clean your list like it's your voter file before GOTV
Remove bad addresses. Archive people who haven’t opened your emails in months. If they ghosted you, let them go.
2. Bounce? They’re out
Soft bounces (temporary issues) can be retried. Hard bounces (permanent issues) get the boot. Email providers track this stuff, and too many bounces = you look like spam.
3. Segment based on engagement
Treat your diehard fans differently than the people who forgot they signed up. Send re-engagement campaigns before you send them to the archive pile.
4. Don’t add people without asking
Seriously. No buying lists. No “we met once at a barbecue” additions. If someone didn’t sign up or opt in, don’t email them. They’ll mark you as spam and hurt your sender reputation.
5. Fix your sign-up flow
Make sure your signup form sets clear expectations. Let people know what kind of emails they’re getting and how often. Don’t trick them. People appreciate clarity.
6. Follow the rules
Yes, there are rules. Know what CAN-SPAM and GDPR require. It’s not scary. It’s mostly: let people unsubscribe easily, don’t lie about who you are, and don’t be sketchy.
TL;DR:
Bigger is not better
Clean = deliverable
Deliverable = donations and votes
Give your email list some love and it’ll actually work for you.
👉 Want more tips like this? Check out our campaign website templates. They’re built for people who don’t want to screw around.
